TRANSPORT

Cliffe Airport

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from and discussions he has had with financiers and industry on the plans for a new airport at Cliffe.

David Jamieson: Ministers have not held any discussions with financiers or industry about the financing of the Cliffe airport option. Chapter 15 of The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East) consultation document discusses how any major new airport capacity, including Cliffe, could be funded and invites views.
	Since publication of the consultation document in July last year, many thousands of responses to the consultation have been received from a wide range of interested parties, and we expect many more before the consultation ends on 30 June.
	All responses will be considered and analysed carefully before final decisions are taken. These will be set out in an air transport White Paper, which we plan to publish towards the end of the year.

Airline Security (Kenya)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he gave to British Airways in May 2003 about the safety of flying to Kenya; when he expects the company to be able to resume its flights to Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: On 15 May 2003, the Department advised all UK airlines that the threat level to UK civil aviation interests in Kenya was such that all UK airline operations to and from the country must be suspended. The position is being kept under active review and there is close liaison with the Kenyan authorities. It is not yet possible to say when conditions will allow flights to resume.

Pensioners (Free Travel)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that all pensioners have equal access to free travel across the UK.

David Jamieson: My answer of 23 January 2003, Official Report, columns 508–09W, states that we have no plans to ensure that pensioners have equal access to free travel across the UK. In England it is for local authorities to decide whether to offer free travel in their area and a number have done that.

Railway Expenditure

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans for spending on rail improvements, including the Rail Passenger Partnership, in 2003–04 and beyond by the Strategic Rail Authority.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) revised Strategic Plan, published on 30 January 2003, contains a full analysis of the budgetary position, investment priorities for the short and medium-terms, as well as the SRA's long-term objectives for the rail network.
	The SRA's Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) programme has been temporarily suspended because of current budgetary constraints. The Authority does not intend to terminate the RPP scheme, but for the present the focus will be on seeing through existing commitments and approvals. For the duration of the 2003–04 financial year, they will continue to allocate funds (£20 million) already set aside for RPP grants.
	Copies of the Strategic Plan are available from the House Library.

Transport Investment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of Government investment on transport each year since 1997, and his proposals for future years under the 10-Year-Plan; what was planned to spend each year; and how much was spent in each year.

David Jamieson: Capital spending by the Department for Transport (and its predecessors' spending on transport) for each year since 1998–99 is set out in Table A3 of the Department's Annual Report for 2003 (Cm 5907). Comparable figures for earlier years are not available owing to the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting.
	Table A3 also sets out capital spending plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06. Spending plans for later years under the 10-Year-Plan are set out in Table A1.1 of "Delivering Better Transport: Progress Report", published by the Department in December 2002.

Unlicensed Vehicles

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unlicensed vehicles there have been on roads in Britain in 2002.

David Jamieson: The most recent survey of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion, covering 2002 and published in March 2003, estimated that some 1.75 million vehicles were unlicensed in Great Britain, against approximately 30 million licensed vehicles.

TREASURY

Basic Bank Accounts

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness with which banks are marketing their commercial basic bank accounts.

Paul Boateng: None. The marketing of basic bank accounts is a commercial matter for the banks concerned.

Juvenile Mortality

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the most common causes of death of young people in the UK were in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Kumar, dated 11 June 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the most common causes of death in young people in the UK in the last 12 months. (118182)
	The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2001. The attached table shows the percentage of total deaths by cause and age group and updates a table that appeared in Social Focus on Young People. 3
	
		Percentage of total deaths by age and sex for main causes of death(1), -- United Kingdom, 2001(2)
		
			  Males Females 
			  15–19 20–24 25 and over 15–19 20–24 25 and over 
		
		
			 External causes of death 61 62 4 40 41 2 
			 of which   
			 Accidents 40 34 2 26 21 2 
			 Suicide 16 23 1 8 16 0 
			 Neoplasms 9 8 29 14 14 24 
			 of which   
			 Leukaemia 2 2 1 3 3 1 
			 Nervous system 9 4 2 12 9 3 
			 Mental disorders 4 10 2 6 5 4 
			 Circulatory system 4 4 41 6 7 40 
			 Respiratory system 2 2 12 5 4 13 
			 Infectious diseases 1 2 1 4 3 1 
			 Digestive system 1 2 4 1 3 5 
			 Other causes 8 7 5 13 15 8 
			 Total deaths (thousands) 1.1 1.5 281.2 0.4 0.6 312.2 
		
	
	(1) The causes of death were selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. The codes used were as follows:External causes of death—V01-Y89;Accidents- V01-X59;Suicides—X60-X84 & Y10-Y34 (excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending for England and Wales);Neoplasms—C00-D48;Leukaemia—C91-C95;Nervous system—G00-G99;Mental disorders—F00-F99;Circulatory system -100–199;Respiratory system—J00-J99;Infectious diseases –A00-B99;Digestive system—K00-K93.
	(2) Figures are for the number of deaths occurring in each calendar year in England and Wales and the number of deaths registrated in each calendar year for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	(3) Office for National Statistics (2000). Social Focus on Young People. Table 2.2, pg 22. London: TSO.

Advocacy Services

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Treasury has taken to fund advocacy services for those in deprived situations.

Dawn Primarolo: The results of the Spending Review announced in July 2002 provided funds to departments as set out in "Opportunity and Security for All: Investing in an Enterprising, Fairer Britain" (Cm 5570). It is a matter for relevant departments how they allocate these funds to advocacy services for those in deprived areas.

Capital Modernisation Fund

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 882W, on the Capital Modernisation Fund, what payments were made to the contractor; and what outputs were received from the contractor in the period before the contract was terminated.

John Healey: The contractor made a presentation of their findings in February 2002 when it was agreed that the project was not viable at that time. £5,000 + VAT was paid being the agreed proportion of the expenses the contractor had incurred.

VAT (Car Parking Facilities)

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when facilities leased or let for parking a vehicle became subject to differential VAT treatment according to whether they are leased or let alongside other property; what the justification for the differential was; what plans he has to review this differential; what discussions he has had with EU counterparts to review this differential; and when he next intends to discuss with EU counterparts an extension of the scope of VAT exemption to remove this differential.

John Healey: EC VAT legislation dictates that the leasing and letting of residential property by private landlords is exempt from VAT. However, the letting of parking facilities is specifically excluded from this exemption and is consequently taxed at the standard rate of VAT. In 1989, the European Court of Justice examined the VAT treatment of parking facilities supplied together with residential property by the same landlord to the same tenant. They ruled that this was a single supply of services, and that the whole supply should be exempt from VAT. All member states were therefore required to comply with this ruling and exempt the supply of parking facilities in these specific circumstances. Under the long-standing formal agreements which govern the EC VAT regime, no member state is permitted unilaterally to extend this exemption to the separate supply of parking facilities.

Financial Services (CAT Standard)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps the Government is taking to raise awareness amongst the public of the CAT standard for financial services products;
	(2)  how he plans to encourage the take-up of the CAT standard in the mortgage industry.

Paul Boateng: CAT standards are designed to identify a range of straightforward savings and mortgage products that are simple, clear and fair so that savers and borrowers should feel confident about choosing them. But the promotion of products is ordinarily a matter for individual firms.
	Nevertheless, the Government and the FSA make appropriate references to CAT standards whenever they can. For example, the FSA explain CAT standards in their ISA and mortgage literature, and show whether an ISA or mortgage meets the standard in the relevant comparative tables to be found on its website.

ECOFIN

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held on 3 June; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: At the ECOFIN on 3 June, the UK was represented by our Permanent Representative to the EU and by the Treasury's Managing Director of Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance.
	ECOFIN formally adopted all elements of the tax package—the directive on the taxation of savings, the Code of Conduct on harmful business taxation and the directive on interest and royalties—on the basis of the 19 March ECOFIN Conclusions. The adoption of the tax package is a major success for the UK. The directive on the taxation of savings will tackle the problem of tax evasion on savings income by exchange of information rather than through an EU-wide withholding tax that would have damaged the interests of the City of London. And the Code of Conduct sets an important principle because it demonstrates what member states can achieve, working together to achieve unanimous political agreement, and rejects tax harmonisation in favour of fair tax competition.
	The Italian request for a Council decision under Article 88(2) on the repayment of Italian milk quota fines was approved, as was the Belgian Article 88(2) request on co-ordination centres. ECOFIN noted a Commission presentation on the progress of the anti-fraud negotiations with Switzerland.
	The Council adopted a Decision on the existence of a French excessive deficit. It also agreed, by qualified majority with Denmark and the Netherlands voting against, a Recommendation calling on France to bring back its deficit below 3 per cent. by 2004 at the latest. ECOFIN agreed, by qualified majority with Denmark and the Netherlands voting against, a report on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (BEPGs) for 2003–05 for submission to the European Council at Thessaloniki. Finance ministers also agreed a covering note to the European Council highlighting the key priorities to boost growth, in particular more flexible labour markets. The note, which has been published on the Council Website, states that:
	"It is essential to achieve higher and sustainable growth in our economies through appropriate macroeconomic policies and structural reforms. We have made progress with the Lisbon economic reform agenda, but much remains to be done. We must step up the pace of reform and achieve more flexible economies that show a stronger resilience in the face of uncertainty and shocks".
	ECOFIN discussed a Commission report on Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development (Monterrey—2002), which was also discussed at the last General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). The UK welcomed the report and called on member states to deliver on their Monterrey commitments.
	Ministers took note of Commission reports on the Financial Services Action Plan and on ED financial integration. They also agreed, together with the accession countries, a Council Statement calling on the US to exempt EU audit firms from the compulsory registration requirement with the new US Oversight Board, under the Sarbanes- Oxley Act.
	The Presidency outlined progress on the Investment Services Directive. The UK expressed support for the objectives of the directive, but raised concerns about the proposals on mandatory quote disclosure rules and the treatment of execution only business.
	A vote was taken on the Recommendation to France on their excessive deficit and on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. The UK was part of the qualified majority.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreements the EU has made with Switzerland in relation to the adoption of the EU Savings Tax Directive.

Dawn Primarolo: The European Commission, in close conjunction with the Presidency, is conducting negotiations with Switzerland and other key non-EU countries (Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra, and San Marino) to ensure the adoption in those countries of measures equivalent to those in the Savings Directive.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his Department's policy that Bermuda should be excluded from the EU Savings Tax Directive.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 12 December 2002, Official Report, column 471W.

EU Savings Tax Directive

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to undertake an assessment of the impact of the EU Savings Tax Directive on overseas territories.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) on 3 June 2003, Official Report, columns 192–93W.

Euro

Patsy Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact introduction of the euro would have on (a) the economy of and (b) tourism in the North-West of England.

Paul Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the Treasury's assessment of the five economic tests that was published on 9 June following the Chancellor's statement to the House of Commons (Cm 5776).

Foreign Direct Investment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total foreign direct investment (FDI) was in the UK in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; what proportion these figures represent of the total FDI of the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The most recent official statistics for direct investment into the UK can be found in the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) UK balance of payments release, available on the ONS website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/bop0303.pdf An international comparison of direct investment flows for 2001, the latest year for which full statistics are available, can be obtained from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 'World Investment Report' publication.

Inheritance Tax

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to further increase the threshold for payment of inheritance tax; and what assessment he has made of the effects the tax has on people of lower incomes living in larger properties.

Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor considers all taxes as part of his annual Budget judgment.

Insurance Industry (Genetic Information)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are planned to ensure that people identified with hereditary or latent genetic predispositions toward certain conditions are not unfairly discriminated against by insurance companies and other financial service providers.

Paul Boateng: The Government is committed to working with the industry, patient groups and other stakeholders to formulate and agree a long term policy on the use of genetic information by insurance companies. The Association of British Insurers' Genetic Testing Code of Practice provides that insurance applicants must not be asked to undergo a genetic test in order to obtain insurance. Under a five year moratorium introduced in October 2001, a person can apply for a total of up to £500,000 of life insurance and £300,000 of certain types of health insurance without having to tell the insurer the results of any predictive tests already taken. If insurance above these amounts is required, insurers may only take into account the results of genetic tests which the Government's Genetics and Insurance Committee has decided are reliable and relevant for that type of insurance. The Committee provides independent scrutiny of compliance with the ABI Code of Practice and the moratorium and can consider unresolved complaints from insurance applicants about the way an insurance company has dealt with their application under the moratorium.

Merchant Shipping

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what domestic taxation is placed upon UK merchant shipping; what discussions he has had with industry representatives on the tax burden on UK shipping; and what proposals he has to reduce the burden.

Dawn Primarolo: In common with other sectors of the economy, the UK shipping industry is subject to a range of taxes and duties and benefits from a range of allowances and reliefs, consistent with the Government's desire to maintain a fair and broad-based tax system raising sufficient revenue for investment in our public services while maintaining the international competitiveness of UK businesses. The shipping industry also benefits from special tax reliefs and regimes, which reflect the particular needs and circumstances of the industry.
	The Government takes into account the overall tax burden on different sectors when setting tax rates and reviewing tax policies, and holds regular discussions where appropriate with representatives from such sectors, including the shipping industry, to take their views into account when considering policy changes.

Professional Sports Clubs

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received on his policy towards professional sports clubs who fail to make full payments to the Inland Revenue or Customs and Excise.

John Healey: The Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise do not apply specific policies to professional sports clubs. They treat clubs in exactly the same way as they treat all other businesses which are in financial difficulties.
	Over the last 12 months or so they have received fewer than a dozen specific representations about the application of those policies to professional sports clubs.

Public Sector Employees

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public sector employees there were in 1997; and how many there were at the latest date for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr Gray, dated 11 June 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about how many public sector employees there were in 1997, and how many there were at the latest date for which figures are available. (118249)
	The information requested is given in the table below.
	
		
			   Thousands  
			  June 1997 June 2001 
			 Total public sector 4,954 5,163 
		
	
	Source:
	Economic Trends, June 2002 issue, ONS
	Full information on public sector employment is currently published once a year. Data for 2002 are expected to be published in the summer of 2003.

Split Capital Investment Trusts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority regarding (a) the collapse of split capital investment trusts and (b) compensation for investors; and when the FSA will produce the results of its inquiry.

Paul Boateng: The Treasury discusses a wide range of issues with the FSA on an ongoing basis.

Tax Credits

Mr. Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many telephone calls have been received on the hotline for hon. Members to resolve constituents' tax credit queries in each week since 1 January.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of calls answered by the MPs' tax credit hotlines in each week to the end of April is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Week starting: Calls answered by the GB and NI tax credit hotlines for MPs 
		
		
			 30 December 2002 (4)— 
			 06 January 2003 10 
			 13 January 2003 9 
			 20 January 2003 5 
			 27 January 2003 8 
			 03 February 2003 (4)— 
			 10 February 2003 14 
			 17 February 2003 7 
			 24 February 2003 13 
			 03 March 2003 11 
			 10 March 2003 15 
			 17 March 2003 13 
			 24 March 2003 25 
			 31 March 2003 54 
			 07 April 2003 218 
			 14 April 2003 412 
			 21 April 2003 470 
			 28 April 2003 827 
		
	
	(4) indicates less than 5.

Tax Credits

Mr. Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of delays in settling outstanding tax credit queries arising from the changes to the tax credit system on 6 April.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 53, and to the comments I made during the debate in Westminster Hall on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 99–122WH.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

York Minster Library

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the library at York Minster.

Stuart Bell: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave on 4 June 2003 to the hon. Member for the City of York (Hugh Bayley), from which she will note that the library does not belong to the Church Commissioners.
	The sale, loan or other disposal of any item of architectural, archaeological, artistic interest would require approval under the Care of Cathedrals Measure. This is a statutory process and I would not wish to prejudge whatever decision might be made either by the Fabric Advisory Committee or by the Cathedrals Fabric Commission on any such application.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Iraq

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on humanitarian aid to Iraq.

Hilary Benn: DFID has so far committed £115 million towards humanitarian assistance in Iraq. This is being channelled though the organisations best placed to deliver practical help on the ground: the United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs. We have set aside a further £95 million for additional needs as they emerge, but money. Funds from existing DFID programmes will not be diverted to fund our assistance to Iraq.
	While significant challenges remain, particularly in maintaining law and order, and restoring power, water and sanitation facilities, a major humanitarian crisis in Iraq has been averted.

Iraq

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps the Department is taking to ensure that (a) medical and (b) food aid is reaching those most urgently in need in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: Of the £115 million DFID has committed towards humanitarian assistance in the current crisis, £8.5 million has been allocated specifically to medical support through a number of organisations, and £33 million to food aid through the World Food Programme. £35 million of aid not earmarked to specific sectors has been has allocated to the Red Cross and other organisations providing medical and other support.
	We provide our support through the organisations best placed to deliver effective assistance. DFID teams in Baghdad and Basra monitor the situation on the ground and liaise with the humanitarian agencies.

Iraq

Ann Winterton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on his Department's role in the distribution of food aid in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: DFID has committed £115 million to humanitarian assistance in the current crisis, of which £33 million has been allocated to the provision of food aid through the World Food Programme (WFP). WFP has pipeline stocks of the main commodities for June, and expects to be able to maintain supplies thereafter. Part of the requirement will be met by purchases from Iraqi farmers. Distribution of food within Iraq, by the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, recommenced on 1 June. DFID teams in Baghdad and Basra monitor the situation on the ground and liaise with the humanitarian agencies. There is not expected to be any food crisis in Iraq.

Zimbabwe

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on British aid policy in respect of Zimbabwe.

Sally Keeble: British aid policy is focused on providing help to the people of Zimbabwe. We are working with the United Nations agencies, other donors, and non-government organisations to provide food aid, HIV/AIDS prevention and other health sector programmes. However, we recognise that the plight of the people in Zimbabwe will only be resolved by political change.

Zimbabwe

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, when the Secretary of State last met non-governmental organisations to discuss aid to Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Since taking up her new appointment the Secretary of State has not met with non-government organisations to discuss aid to Zimbabwe.
	We continue to work closely with British and other non-government organisations to share analysis on the terrible situation faced by most Zimbabweans. The majority of our food aid programme in Zimbabwe is implemented by non-government organisations, contracted directly by the Department for International Development, or through the World Food Programme, which also receives significant UK funding. Non-government organisations will remain key partners in the process of supporting the people of Zimbabwe through the effective supply of food aid, as well as tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Ethiopia

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the preparedness of Ethiopian Government departments to handle direct aid payments for humanitarian relief in famine areas.

Hilary Benn: The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Commission (DPPC) is the lead Government of Ethiopia body responsible for co-ordination of humanitarian responses. Humanitarian relief is delivered by a combination of the DPPC, UN agencies (especially World Food Programme) NGOs and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
	Overall, the DPPC system is able to adequately deliver humanitarian assistance across most of the country. However, in some districts with weak administrations or problems of unexpected severity, it has been necessary to deliver humanitarian relief directly through UN agencies or Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).

Ethiopia

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the availability of (a) cereal seeds and (b) pulses in Ethiopia; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate planting of seeds and pulses in Ethiopia before the end of the planting season.

Hilary Benn: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Ethiopian Government's Ministry of Agriculture reported on both the variety and quantity needs for cereal and pulse seed on 4 June 2003. Estimated needs total $10 million.
	We have already contributed to meeting requirements through our £2 million donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in February 2003. We are working closely with the Government and other donors to further clarify and meet non-food needs such as seed.

St. Helena

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, if the Secretary of State will visit St. Helena to discuss progress towards the construction of an airfield.

Hilary Benn: There are no such plans for a visit. On 7 April, the St. Helena Government issued an invitation for private sector participation in developing air access. Six parties have since expressed their intent to submit outline proposals by the deadline for bids of 25 July. A period of evaluation and negotiation is expected to follow.

Burma

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what aid the Department gives to refugees (a) in Burma and (b) near the Burmese-Thai border.

Hilary Benn: We are not currently supporting programmes focused exclusively on meeting the needs of displaced people inside Burma.
	DFID assistance for refugees in camps on the Thai-Burma border has focused mainly on meeting food needs and on UNHCR's protection role. Financial assistance last year amounted to just under £2 million. Further support is planned in the current year.
	DFID is also providing support to refugees through the European Commission. In 2002, the European Commission allocated 3.5million Euros (£2.5 million) for these purposes, 20 per cent. of which is attributable to the UK Government.

Burma

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development when the Department will conduct a full survey of child malnutrition (a) in Burma and (b) in the refugee camps on the Burma-Thai border.

Hilary Benn: The Department has access to survey findings and reports on child malnutrition written by a number of non-governmental organisations and by UNICEF. Officials in the Department will draw on these in the formulation of DFID's humanitarian assistance plans for Burma.

Amazon Peoples

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Department is taking to support the indigenous Indian communities of the Amazon.

Hilary Benn: The Department is providing direct support to strengthen the indigenous movement in the Amazon through its £2.1 million Indigenous Peoples Demonstration Project. This includes help to increase the capacity of organisations such as the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazonia to defend and promote their interests and rights.
	As part of its contribution to the G7 Pilot Programme to Conserve the Brazilian Rainforest, the Department is also supporting the demarcation of indigenous lands in the Amazon. The aim is to have demarcated and registered all indigenous lands, accounting for 45 million hectares, by 2004. To date 34 million hectares have been demarcated, with over 27 million registered.

Arms Export Controls

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what proposals on strengthening arms export controls the Government intends to make at the UN Biennial Meeting of states in July.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK Government is committed to building on the useful discussions that took place at the Lancaster House Conference on strengthening Export Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons held at Lancaster House on 14–15 January 2003. The format of the Biennial Meeting (New York, 7–11 July) which will focus on small arms, does not allow for states to make substantive proposals. The aim of the meeting is to gather support for a regionally based process to share understanding on national implementation of export controls of small arms, with the aim of reporting back findings at the 2005 Biennial Meeting. But it will be a useful opportunity to take this work forward with partners within the framework of the UN. The UK is planning a side meeting on 8 July 2003 to discuss working in partnership and ways of exchanging information. Our objective is to strengthen consensus on the need for regulation of small arms transfers. Continuing this work within the framework of the UN is particularly important, and the UK is committed to the process.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Adam Price: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: Progress towards a sustainable peace and poverty reduction has been made with the successful conclusion in April of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and the entering into force of the Global and Inclusive Agreement that sets out the framework for the establishment of a Transitional National Government (TNG). The establishment of the TNG will be a major step forward in the resolution of the wider Great Lakes conflict, creating the basis for reconstruction, economic development and poverty reduction in the DRC. The Congolese parties must now implement fully the commitments they have undertaken and establish without further delay the transitional institutions. The UK is an active member of the international committee supporting this process and we plan to increase our development assistance to the DRC once the TNG is in place.
	On the situation in Ituri in the north-east, the fighting must stop and support to armed groups must be discontinued. The French government has agreed to the request from the UN Secretary General to lead an Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) to stabilise the situation. Given the importance of contributing to this force and of supporting the UN and the DRC peace process, the UK will be participating in the IEMF. This force will come under the direction of the European Union under the European Security and Defence Pact.
	In 2002–03 DFID provided nearly £11 million in humanitarian assistance to the DRC. Out of this £1 million went through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for emergency humanitarian interventions in the DRC including Ituri. We are in regular contact with a number of international NGOs working in Ituri, and we stand ready to respond to their requests for further assistance to address urgent humanitarian needs in the region. A DFID humanitarian adviser has just visited Ituri to assess these urgent needs and we will be making a response to these requests shortly.

G8 Africa Action Plan

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what decisions were made at the G8 summit at Evian about the G8 Africa Action Plan; whether Africa will remain on the G8 agenda in the forthcoming year; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: At the G8 summit in Evian the Africa Personal Representatives produced an Implementation Report on the G8 Africa Action Plan. The G8 and African heads of government accepted the report during a two-hour discussion on Africa at the Evian Summit. The European Union and all G8 countries (with the exception of Russia) also produced individual progress reports on their contribution towards implementation of the G8 Africa Action Plan. The G8 will report on progress in achieving the G8 Africa Action Plan again in June 2005, under the UK Presidency.
	It was agreed at Evian that the Africa Personal Representatives group would be expanded into an African Partners Forum, including non-G8 OECD donors. Further criteria for participation have yet to be agreed. The African Partners Forum is likely to meet every six months, with the first meeting in November 2003. The purpose of the meetings will be to ensure that momentum for the Africa Action Plan is maintained, and to continue high-level political engagement with African governments.
	The UK will continue to press for a G8 focus on Africa.

Overseas Territories

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which reports commissioned by the Department on the overseas territories from Social Development Direct are in the public domain, broken down by territory.

Hilary Benn: The work by Social Development Direct, looking at human rights issues affecting the Overseas Territories, was commissioned and funded jointly by DFID and the FCO. Reports on the following territories are in the public domain and have been copied to the House of Commons Library.
	Anguilla
	Bermuda
	Montserrat
	St Helena
	Turks and Caicos Islands
	Reports on a number of others should be published shortly.

Equal Opportunities

Angela Eagle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit.

Hilary Benn: DFID has just substantially completed its equal pay audit of staff below the senior civil service, in line with the Government's commitment to review pay systems by April 2003 in response to the Equal Opportunities Commission Task Force "Just Pay" report. So far no significant pay disadvantages have been found but some further analysis is required. Once this further analysis is complete—we hope by August 2003—a copy of the audit will be placed in the Library. No pay audits have been undertaken for DFID's three NDPBs as they have no employees and their members only receive expenses.

Southern Africa

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what plans the Department has for making affordable fertiliser available to smallholders in Southern Africa in the (a) short term and (b) long term.

Hilary Benn: For the longer term, DFID is working with partners in the region to promote improved access by smallholder farmers to agricultural inputs and credit from the private sector. In the short term, we are in several countries supporting the Food and Agriculture Organisation, governments and non-government organisations in providing fertilisers and other critical inputs to poor farmers. We are for example continuing support to the National Targeted Inputs programme in Malawi, which aims to provide free fertiliser and seed to the poorest farmers.

World Summit on Sustainable Development

John Horam: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

Hilary Benn: DFID's current delivery plans relate to the 2003–06 PSA and SDA targets that were agreed upon as part of the 2002 Spending Review. These targets predate the WSSD, so not all of the WSSD commitments are covered. Our delivery plans will evolve and they will incorporate WSSD commitments when they are appropriate to delivery of our PSA and SDA targets. Our PSA and SDA targets will be reconsidered during the next Spending Review.
	The WSSD reaffirmed commitment to the Millennium Development Goals—the achievement of which lies at the heart of our PSA and SDA targets—
	and many of our WSSD commitments are covered in existing plans: for example, climate change, finance for development, support to PRSPs (Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers), and trade are all covered.

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq

Linda Perham: To ask the Prime Minister when he will make a statement on what chemical or biological weapons have been found in Iraq.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 147–50.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress in implementation of the paper, A Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi People, arising from the Azores Atlantic Summit in March.

Tony Blair: In the 10 weeks since we set out our "Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi people" the Coalition, and more recently the wider international community, has made significant progress towards implementing it. Saddam Hussein, his regime and the threat they posed with weapons of mass destruction have been removed by the Coalition. The Iraqi people are now able to live in peace, build the foundations for democracy and good governance and pave the way for real prosperity. As each day passes the CPA are helping the Iraqis to restore essential services, especially health and education.
	UN Security Council Resolution 1483 aims to help restore security and stability to enable Iraqis to form their own political future through a representative government based on the rule of law that affords equal rights and justice to all citizens.
	Resolution 1483 has also lifted sanctions and called on UN member states to assist Iraq with humanitarian aid, ensure Iraqis will benefit from their oil revenue, and stresses the need to address Iraq's debt.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee since the end of active hostilities in Iraq in respect of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Tony Blair: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of the pre-publication drafts of his dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what the source was of his statement in the preface to the dossier, Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction, dated 24 September 2002, that the Iraqi regime's military planning allows for some of the weapons of mass destruction to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them; and on what evidence he based his assessment of the truth of this claim.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.

Iraq

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister when he first agreed in principle with the US Administration that British forces would take part in a war against Iraq; and what (a) conditions and (b) circumstances he required to be satisfied for their use in military operations.

Tony Blair: The decision to resort to military action to ensure that Iraq fulfilled its obligations imposed by successive UN Security Council Resolutions was taken only after other routes to disarm Iraq had failed. I decided to commit United Kingdom forces after securing the approval of the House in the vote on 18 March.

Iraq

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the benefits obtained by the United Kingdom from the participation of British forces in the Iraq war.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith), Official Report, column 150 and to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd), Official Report, column 156, at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June.

Iraq

David Wilshire: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to publish in full the report of the Intelligence and Security Committee into Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.

Iraq

David Wilshire: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  when the Joint Intelligence Committee first told him of the possibility of Iraqi forces being able to launch a biological or chemical attack within 45 minutes; and whether the information was provided (a) verbally and (b) in writing;
	(2)  which of his (a) cabinet and (b) special advisers were told of the briefing from the Joint Intelligence Committee about the possibility of Iraqi forces being able to launch a biological or chemical attack within 45 minutes prior to the publication of the information.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 147–50.

Joint Intelligence Committee

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the membership, with each member's qualifications, of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

Tony Blair: The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) is chaired by a senior Cabinet Office official and brings together the producers of intelligence and their main customer departments. Members comprise the Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, senior officials from the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Department of Trade and Industry and the Treasury, the Heads of the three intelligence and security agencies and the Chief of Assessments Staff.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year.
	(2)  how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Office through staff mental health problems.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) gave him today, at column 890W.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Paul Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for children; and what their specific responsibilities are.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr. Allen) on 20 November 2002, Official Report, columns 139–40W.
	The responsibilities referred to in respect of the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) are currently held by my hon. Friend for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes).

Suez Medal

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister whether a decision has been reached on the award of a medal to those who served in the Suez Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954.

Tony Blair: Following a recommendation from the sub-committee chaired by Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, we are pleased to announce that Suez veterans who served in the Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954 are to be awarded the General Service Medal.
	In examining this case so long after the events, the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals recognised that it had special features. Although it had been established that the Commander in Chief at the time made a request for a medal, there was no conclusive evidence that the case was ever fully considered and a formal decision reached. Nor had the deployment been recognised by the award of any other campaign medal.
	The detailed qualification criteria for the medal will be submitted to Her Majesty The Queen for approval in due course. Copies of the sub-committee's report are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

US Foreign Policy

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions since January 2001 when he has expressed public disagreement with the foreign policy of the US Administration.

Tony Blair: I disagree publicly with the US Administration on foreign policy whenever it is in the interest of the United Kingdom to do so.

Zimbabwe

Lady Hermon: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the British Government's policy on Zimbabwe.

Tony Blair: Our policy has been effective in maintaining broad international pressure on ZANU (PF). The EU has used targeted sanctions to isolate the regime and the Commonwealth has suspended Zimbabwe from its Councils. Both of these measures have been rolled over this year. We also continue to provide humanitarian aid; to feed the hungry; and to support the fundamental right of the Zimbabwean people to press for change. We keep our policy under constant review.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Energy Efficiency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department is planning to start the consultation on an expansion of the Energy Efficiency Commitment to run from 2005 to at least 2008, as stated in the Energy White Paper of February 2003; and which organisations her Department is intending to consult.

Elliot Morley: We have already begun informal discussions on the next Energy Efficiency Commitment, to start in April 2005, so that we can take account of the views of stakeholders in drawing up proposals for a statutory consultation in spring 2004. We have set up a High Level Advisory Committee to provide strategic advice to Government, and also welcome input on more detailed and technical issues. We will consult a wide range of bodies with an interest in energy efficiency.

Energy Efficiency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take to combine household energy efficiency with (a) micro CHP, (b) small-scale renewable heat and (c) renewable power.

Elliot Morley: Micro-CHP is potentially a useful technology for delivering domestic energy efficiency and carbon savings. However, the technology is not yet commercially available in the UK. The Government are working closely with the industry to overcome a number of regulatory and technical barriers to bringing the technology to market. An important step towards this will be a major independent and technology-impartial field trial sponsored by the Carbon Trust, through its Low Carbon Innovation Programme (LCIP) in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust. This will commence later this year. I understand the trial is expected to feature a range of technologies and end use applications across the residential and commercial sectors, in order to provide an objective assessment of the benefits that micro CHP can offer.
	DTI's Clear Skies Scheme and the PV demonstration programme both encourage applicants to think seriously about energy efficiency when installing new renewable energy and heat systems. The Energy Saving Trust, who manage the Major PV Demonstration programme, endeavour to offer energy efficiency advice in parallel with giving information on the PV grants. The 52 Energy Advice Centres and six pilot Renewable Energy Advice Centres combine this function.
	Similarly, applicants to the £10 million Clear Skies programme for household and community schemes, are encouraged to contact their local energy efficiency advice centre in order to check their existing household systems. This is testament to the fact that, particularly when allied to energy efficiency measures, renewable energy is one of the most effective methods of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Airports

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the environmental impact of proposals to expand airport capacity in the south-east.

Elliot Morley: A range of possible airport development options were assessed in accordance with a detailed environmental appraisal framework, published in November 2000. The full results of those appraisals have been published as part of the consultation exercise currently being undertaken by the Department for Transport. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation exercise, including representations about environmental impact, when deciding whether any additional airport capacity should be provided. That decision will be set out in an Air Transport White Paper later this year.

Animal Welfare

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to press the European Commission to publish its proposals for a new directive on the protection of animals during transport; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: We have regularly pressed the European Commission to publish their proposals. At the Agriculture Council on 26 May 2003, Commissioner Byrne announced that he hoped to bring forward final proposals no later than July 2003.

Animal Welfare

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to give further support to animal sanctuaries in the United Kingdom;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to encourage the development of animal sanctuaries in the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: I applaud the good work carried out by conscientious and responsible people who devote their time to looking after sick, injured or unwanted animals.
	The Department is currently working on a proposed Animal Welfare Bill, which will encourage more responsible animal ownership and thereby help to reduce the number of unwanted animals, a considerable number of which currently end up in animal sanctuaries.

Animal Welfare

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has had from animal welfare groups regarding animal sanctuaries.

Elliot Morley: A number of animal welfare groups have provided their views on animal sanctuaries during the consultation on an Animal Welfare Bill. My officials are continuing to talk to representatives of animal welfare groups, animal sanctuaries and other organisations responsible for the well being of animals as work on the Animal Welfare Bill progresses.

Animal Welfare

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will include provisions in the forthcoming draft Animal Welfare Bill to stop the practice of keeping primates as pets.

Elliot Morley: Whilst there are no specific plans to impose a ban on primates as pets, the content of the proposed Animal Welfare Bill is still to be decided. However powers are already available under Article 8.2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 to restrict the holding of species subject to control under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (which includes all primates) and a paper setting out the Government's proposals for using these powers will be circulated for public consultation later in the year.
	It is anticipated that a draft Animal Welfare Bill will be published for consultation next year.

Asbestos

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were fined by the Environment Agency or its predecessor regulatory authority for dumping bonded asbestos illegally in each year since 1990.

Michael Meacher: The Environment Agency's National Enforcement Database does not record specific types of pollutants and so it is not possible to provide details of prosecutions for the illegal dumping of asbestos. However figures are available for the total number of prosecutions per year for the illegal depositing of waste contrary to Section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, of which asbestos dumping would be a subset. No information is available pre-1999.
	The details are as follows:
	
		Prosecutions per year for the illegal depositing of waste
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 (from 1 April) 143  
			 2000 222 
			 2001 242 
			 2002 273 
			 2003 (to date) 85

Cetaceans

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether recent trials of separator grids to reduce cetacean deaths will be replicated next year during the peak of the bass fishing season.

Elliot Morley: The preliminary results of the recent trial of separator grids to reduce cetacean bycatch in the offshore bass fishery demonstrated that a viable means of minimising dolphin bycatch in this fishery can be attained very soon. A fuller analysis of the data from the trial is now being undertaken which will be made available on the Defra website and placed in the House of Commons library.
	On the basis of these results I am determined to move forward from trialling the separator grid to deploying the gear in the fishery. I will be discussing how this can be achieved with the industry and our researchers, the Sea Mammal Research Unit, and whether other adaptations to the fishing gear, such as changes to fishing methods, could also contribute to bycatch reduction.

Cetaceans

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the British Government has taken to persuade the US to stop military sonar testing which may harm or kill dolphins and whales.

Adam Ingram: The Government takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. Research on this issue has, therefore, been set in hand and is continuing. Military sonar testing by the US is a matter for them. However, we do exchange information with other countries (the US in particular) so that we have the best possible understanding of the effects of noise on marine mammals, and how we might employ sonar so as to minimise the risk of harm.

Biofuels

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates the Government has received for the level of duty on biofuels that would be necessary to make the cultivation of these non-fuel crops profitable for British farmers; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Although biofuels may offer new market opportunities to farmers producing non-food crops, assisting farmers is not the primary consideration in determining the appropriate level of duty for such fuels. Duty rates for less environmentally-damaging fuels are set relative to the main road fuels. The differentials we have set for bioethanol and biodiesel are intended mainly to reflect the relative environmental impacts of the fuels in question.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the CAP Mid-Term Review.

Elliot Morley: Commission proposals for reform of the CAP are under active discussion, most recently at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26 to 27 May 2003, and subsequent meetings at official level. We expect these discussions to reach a critical stage at the Agriculture Council beginning on 11 June 2003.
	We are working hard for a positive outcome from that meeting which will benefit farmers, consumers, taxpayers, the rural economy, the environment and developing countries, and put the EU in a strong position to negotiate a successful outcome at the next round of WTO talks in September 2003.

Common Agricultural Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to remove the 10 per cent. set-aside obligation on farmers.

Elliot Morley: The 10 per cent. set-aside obligation on farmers is a condition of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support arrangements for the arable sector.
	In discussion of the European Commission's current CAP reform proposals we have made clear that we do not see a case for a continuing compulsory set-aside requirement if the full decoupling of support from production is agreed. But if set-aside is to be retained, we would want it to be operated flexibly in order to maximise the possible wider benefits.

Countryside and Rights of Way Act

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 mapping exercise was up until 31 May; and what the budgeted cost was.

Alun Michael: By the end of May 2003, the Countryside Agency had spent £15.7 million on implementing Part 1 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, mostly on mapping open countryside and registered common land. This figure covers all costs of the project, including staff, appeals and publicity costs (as required by the Act) and include accruals for mapping work completed but not yet invoiced. In addition, the Planning Inspectorate had spent £1.65 million to the end of May on dealing with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps.
	By the end of March 2003 the Countryside Agency had spent £13.5 million on implementing Part 1 of the Act against a budget of £12.7 million up until the end of March 2003. The budget for the project is kept under review and revised regularly.

Countryside and Rights of Way Act

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated total cost of mapping the countryside under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 was in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) to date; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: By the end of May 2003, the Countryside Agency had spent a total of £15.7 million on implementing Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, mostly on mapping open countryside and registered common land. This figure includes expenditure of £2.5 million in 2000–01; £3.4 million in 2001–02; £7.6 million in 2002–03 and £2.2 million in 2003–04 and covers all costs of the project, including staff, appeals and publicity costs (as required by the Act) and include accruals for mapping work completed but not yet invoiced. In addition, the Planning Inspectorate had spent £1.65 million to the end of May 2003 on dealing with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps.

Wildlife Culls

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the species of which Ministers authorised culls on the basis of conservation during 2002.

Elliot Morley: The Department issued licences for killing or taking, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, for the conservation of wild birds or flora and fauna during 2002, for the following species:
	Canada Geese
	Greylag Geese
	Barnacle Geese
	Egyptian Geese
	Mallard
	Moorhen
	Coot
	Ruddy duck (as part of an ongoing control trial that began in 1999)
	English Nature also issued licences under the 1981 Act to allow killing or taking for the conservation of wild birds or flora and fauna during 2002, for the following species:
	Canada Geese
	Greylag Geese
	Egyptian Geese
	Black-headed gull
	Moorhen

Farmed Fish

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which species of wild fish are farmed in the UK and used in the production of fishmeal in the UK, for use in the UK; how much of each species of wild fish was taken from UK waters and used in the production of fishmeal in the UK, for use in the UK in the last 12 months; how much fishmeal is produced in the UK, for use in the UK; what species of industrially farmed fish are produced in the UK; and how much of each species of industrially farmed fish was produced in the UK, in each of the past five years.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 27 March 2003, Official Report, column 374W. Fish species farmed in the UK are primarily for human consumption or for restocking, but some waste from farmed fish may be used in fishmeal production. Data on fish species caught in UK waters for use in fishmeal production are not available. According to data available from the Fishmeal Information Network, 50,000 tonnes of fishmeal was produced in the UK in 2002 for use in the UK.

Farming Subsidies

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the total amount of subsidy received by the British farming industry was in each of the last three years; from which budgets this money comes; what steps she is taking to monitor these costs; and if she will make a statement.
	(2)  how much subsidy the British farming industry has received over the last three years for which figures are available; from which budgets this money came; what steps she is taking to monitor this spending; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In each of the last three years, the UK farming industry received the following amounts:
	
		(£ million)
		
			 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 
		
		
			 3,161 3,042 4,664 
		
	
	Source:Agriculture in the UK
	The figures include direct payments and market support measures under the Common Agricultural Policy, payments for rural development, compensation for animal disease, and other national grants and subsidies. Payments for market support and certain payments for rural development will not all have been received directly by the farming industry.
	In 2001–2002 cash based accounting was replaced by accrual accounting. This change means that it is not possible to compare directly the 2001–2002 figures with those for previous years. However, the substantial increase in 2001–2002 can mainly be attributed to the impact of the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001.
	The money comes either from the EC budget or directly from the UK Exchequer. The Government monitors EC costs in the Council, primarily through the annual budget process, during which the Commission's expenditure forecasts for the next year are thoroughly scrutinised. Our policy is to subject all areas of EC spending to rigorous analysis. This enables us to make better use of existing resources, and ensure that the Financial Perspective ceilings are respected. The UK and European parliaments are also involved in this process.
	The Department monitors UK Exchequer costs in accordance with the procedures of resource accounting and budgeting. Expenditure on agriculture in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved authorities.

Illegal Fishing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) sightings, (b) arrests and (c) prosecutions for illegal fishing by vessels from non-EU countries within British territorial limits as defined by the Fishery Limits Act 1976 have taken place since the Act came into force.

Elliot Morley: Information is only readily available from the Fisheries Departments in the United Kingdom on the number of non-EU fishing vessels, including klondykers, prosecuted since 1982 and on sightings in British Fishery Limits since 1991. The sightings would include vessels transiting as well as fishing legally within British Fishery Limits. The total number of prosecutions between 1981 and 2002 was 73 and the sightings between 1991 and 2002 were 19,297. Some of the prosecutions and sightings involve vessels from nations that have since joined the European Union.

Genetically Modified Crops

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the Government of the GM trials taking place in England and Wales is.

Michael Meacher: Four companies and two research institutes currently have consent to undertake GM trials in England. The costs of these trials are borne by the organisations involved. The costs to Government of consideration of the applications, granting and enforcing the consents are recovered through statutory fees and charges. GM trials in Wales and Scotland are the responsibilities of their devolved administrations.
	Over the course of the farm scale evaluations of GM herbicide tolerant crops the Government has funded the ecological studies themselves, with all other costs borne by the companies involved. The cost to Government this year, for the last stage of the studies on winter oilseed rape is 258,896, out of a total cost to Government of £5.9 million over four years for all the four crops evaluated.

Hotel Accommodation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the amount spent by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on hotel accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) others; and if he will list the average cost per hotel room, in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: For the Department's civil servants, the detailed information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the total currently budgeted by the Department for this year for travel and subsistence is £16.7 million.
	All travel by civil servants is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.
	For Ministers, the Government publish an annual report of Ministerial travel overseas. The total cost of ministerial travel provided in the annual report includes the cost of accommodation. The information sought in respect of accommodation within the UK is not held centrally. All travel is conducted in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.

Ingram Works, Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency's agreed amount of tonnage per year is for waste processed under the site management licence at the waste disposal and landfill site operated by Harry Sanders Ltd. at Ingram Works in Leeds.

Michael Meacher: There are three operations at this site. The waste transfer station on this site is currently permitted to receive up to 5,000 tonnes of waste in a year. However, an application for the modification of the licence is currently under consideration. The effect of this licence modification would be to increase the maximum annual input of waste to 100,000 tonnes.
	The landfill on this site is Waste Management Licence 113, as issued to Mr. P. H. Sanders, and the maximum annual quantity of waste that may be accepted at the site is 10,000 tonnes. There is also a registered exempt site where there is no maximum annual input imposed under waste management regulations.

Invasive Weeds

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to use (a) promotion and (b) education to heighten awareness of the non-native invasive weeds identified by the Non-native Species Review Group; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The working group of the Review of Non-native Species Policy recommended that Government should develop a targeted education and awareness strategy involving all relevant sectors. My Department is developing, in liaison with the Devolved Administrations, the Government response to the report and it is intended to undertake a public consultation later this year.

Invasive Weeds

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what environmental assessment has been undertaken to measure the impact of non-native invasive weeds on the countryside; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: An overall assessment of the impact of non-native species was undertaken in the Review of Non-Native Species Policy, which included case studies on Japanese knotweed and New Zealand pigmyweed (also known as Australian swamp stonecrop).
	More detailed, site-specific environmental assessments have also been undertaken by English Nature and the Environment Agency. English Nature commission work on a fairly regular basis, that includes assessments of invasive non-natives species, often as part of a wider programme of investigations. For example, as part of its Lakes Restoration Project, English Nature has undertaken an environmental appraisal of the impact of New Zealand pigmyweed at a site in Shropshire, which threatens a native plant, floating water plantain. The presence of invasive non-native aquatic plants is one of the causes for unfavourable condition of a number of freshwater Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This appraisal included an assessment of control options and a programme of control is planned for later this year at three SSSI lakes. A monitoring programme to determine the efficacy of different control techniques and the recovery of native plant species will accompany the control.
	The Environment Agency has assessed river habitats using a standard assessment that includes the recording of three non-native species: Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan Balsam.

Laying Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 893W, on laying hens, whether all Defra-funded research into enriched cages conforms to the EU minimum height of 45cm.

Elliot Morley: One of the objectives of this research is to evaluate the effect of cage height on bird behaviour, welfare and performance in commercially available furnished cages. The research looks at the effects of cage height on birds kept in furnished cages—with heights set at 38cm and 45cm. This research will help in informing our position on the welfare benefits of furnished or enriched cages.

Management Consultants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the contracts her Department has with management consultants, and the value of each contract in 2002–03.

Alun Michael: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Underground Storage Tanks

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received and proposals she has to provide funding for (a) enforcing and overseeing corrective action at leaking underground storage tank sites and (b) clean-ups (i) where the owner or operator is unknown, or is unwilling or unable to respond and (ii) which require emergency action.

Elliot Morley: I am not aware of representations as such, although this issue was raised by the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) in an adjournment debate on underground storage tanks on 7 January 2003, Official Report, columns 54–61WH.
	In England and Wales there is a duty under Section 73 of the Public Health Act 1973 for site occupiers to prevent danger, as far as is reasonably necessary, from tanks which have been used to store petroleum spirit. This legislation is enforced by the local Petroleum Licensing Authority (PLA). Where the site occupier cannot be contacted or is unknown, and there is a serious concern for public safety, the PLA can use powers under Section 290 (6) of the Public Health Act 1936 to execute the works at the local authority's expense. The local authority can then seek to recover these costs either through the civil courts or by registering a charge under the Land Registration Act 1988.
	Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act can be used by local authorities to deal with significant harm or water pollution arising from land contamination, and capital support is available for eligible projects. The Environment Agency also has a range of environmental protection responsibilities and powers, and provision is made in its funding for emergency situations at USTs, and where owners and occupiers are unknown, although it would not be possible to disaggregate these functions.

Poultry Regulations

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the planned threshold of 350 birds for the new regulations concerning poultry; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Commission Directive 2002/4/EC requires all establishments with flocks of 350 or more hens producing eggs for human consumption to be registered. Interested parties were consulted during the negotiations and a further consultation exercise will be held on the draft Regulations.

Press Officers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she has issued on media lines to be taken by press officers on stories in the event of a story breaking; and if she will place the current list in the Library.

Alun Michael: Statements and answers for the news media are prepared in line with central guidance including the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service.

Puma Attack

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent reports she has received of an attack by a puma on a horse in north Lincolnshire.

Elliot Morley: This Department was asked by the Police investigating injuries to a horse in North Lincolnshire for advice on the possibility that these were caused by an attack by a puma. The Department has not made its own investigation.
	Puma are not native to the UK and are not naturally found in the wild in this country. The Department is not aware of any confirmed instances of a puma or other big cats of unknown origin being found out of captivity in England in the last 20 years. Injuries to domestic animals are more likely to be due to other causes. Dogs are sometimes involved.
	The release of puma into the wild is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and possession of this species is regulated under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

Salmon Tagging

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 895W, how many salmon have been tagged with radio transmitting or other tags in the Hampshire Avon since 1990; whether the project is now concluded; if she will place in the Library the results and advice given to Government and other organisations; and if she will list the organisations which may receive the advice.

Elliot Morley: Since 1990 there have been a number of projects resulting in the tagging of 24,291 salmon. The current research project by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) studying thermal habitats in freshwater started recently and will be reported when concluded. The report will be available to conservation and environmental organisations and other interested parties. Copies will also be placed in the library of the House.

Statutory Instruments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many statutory instruments her Department has made in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: Defra was created on 8 June 2001. Information on the Department's Statutory instruments since that time is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 8 June to 31 December 2001 219 
			 1 January to 31 December 2002 127 
			 1 January to 10 June 2003 61 
		
	
	All Statutory Instruments are available on the HMSO website at: http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm

Waste Management

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what modifications to waste management licences have been (a) applied for and (b) authorised by the Environment Agency or its predecessor regulatory body in each year since 1990, broken down by waste site.

Michael Meacher: The table below shows the number of modifications issued by the Environment Agency.
	Modifications are not necessarily issued in the same year that the application is received.
	
		
			 Site type 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 A01-Co-disposal landfill site 27 (16) 32 (20) 13 (12) 
			 A02-Other landfill site taking special waste 4 (1) 12 (10 6 (50) 
			 A03-Borehole 1 (1) — — — — 
			 A04-Household, commercial and industrial waste landfill 25 (22) 15 (9) 10 (11) 
			 A05-Landfill taking non-biodegradeable wastes 27 (22) 14 (14) 4 (3) 
			 A06-Landfill taking other wastes 24 (24) 7 (7) 7 (3) 
			 A07-Industrial waste landfill (factory curtilage) 5 (3) 1 (3) 3 (1) 
			 A08-Lagoon 3 (1) 1 (1) 1 (1) 
			 A09-Special waste transfer station 27 (16) 20 (16) 12 (16) 
			 A10-In-house storage facility 1 — 2 (3) — — 
			 A11-Household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station 99 (63) 76 (51) 69 (54) 
			 A12-Clinical waste transfer station 2 (2) 8 (3) 3 (6) 
			 A13-Household waste amenity site 2 (2) 6 (6) 4 (3) 
			 A14-Transfer station taking non-biodegradable wastes 3 (2) 3 (4) — — 
			 A15-Material recycling treatment facility 7 (1) 3 (5) 3 (1) 
			 A16-Physical treatment facility 10 (5) 6 (7) 4 (4) 
			 A17-Physico-chemical treatment facility 2 (2) 5 (4) 3 (1) 
			 A18-Incinerator 1 — 2 (2) 1 — 
			 A19-Metal recycling site (vehicle dismantler) 7 (7) 3 (2) 3 (1) 
			 A20-Metal recycling site (mixed MRSs) 8 (1) 11 (4) 15 (14) 
			 A21-Chemical treatment Facility 3 (3) 3 (3) — — 
			 A22-Composting Facility 2 (1) 3 (3) 4 (2) 
			 A23-Biological Treatment Facility 3 (1) 8 (6) 3 (3) 
			 A24-Mobile Plant — — 12 (11) 5 (6)

Nitrates

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received concerning progress made on designating nitrate-sensitive areas required under the urban waste water treatment directive since 1997.

Elliot Morley: No representations have been received on the eight Sensitive Areas (Nitrate) identified under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in England since 1997.
	Water companies providing sewage treatment services is the industrial sector affected by identifications of Sensitive Areas (Nitrate). Such identifications require water companies to provide specific treatment to reduce nitrates present in sewage at sewage treatment works which monitoring by the Environment Agency reveals as having an impact on associated water supply sources. These measures complement those taken under the Nitrates Directive to reduce the diffuse pollution of waters by nitrates arising from agricultural practices.
	Funding of such sewage treatment is obtained through the five yearly Periodic Review of water company price limits.

Nitrates

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many nitrate-sensitive areas were designated in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: There are 32 nitrate sensitive areas in England where voluntary, compensated agricultural measures were introduced, under the Nitrate Sensitive Areas Scheme, to reduce nitrate concentrations in sources of public drinking water. These were designated in 1994 and 1995. No new areas have been designated since then and the Scheme will close on 30 September 2003.
	The EU Nitrates Directive requires all known areas of land draining into nitrate-polluted waters to be designated as nitrate vulnerable zones. In 1996, the Government designated 66 nitrate vulnerable zones covering eight per cent. of England's land area, and in October 2002, designated nitrate vulnerable zones covering an additional 47 per cent. of England's land area. This brings total coverage of England to around 55 per cent. Further details on the location of the nitrate vulnerable zones can be obtained from the Defra NVZ web pages (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/quality/nitrate).

Water Industry

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the average change in water bills since 1997, broken down by water company area, attributable to debts arising from non-payment of water bills.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made no estimate.
	The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) collects information on the level of debt and associated recovery costs on a yearly basis. Price limits set by Ofwat in 1999 for the period 2000–01 to 2004–05 made no assumptions about any increases in costs due to non-payment of water bills. However, interim determinations for three companies—Dee Valley Water, Severn Trent Water and Yorkshire Water—have subsequently resulted in price increases, partly owing to the effects of increasing bad debt and debt recovery costs but this element is not separately quantified. Any increases in costs for other companies will be considered when price limits are next reviewed in 2004.

Water Industry

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further guidance she has given the Director General of Water Services in connection with his periodic review of water company price limits.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued initial guidance to the Director General of Water Services on the periodic review of water price limits in January 2003. A copy has been placed in the House Library. Further guidance will be issued in 2004.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Criminal Records Bureau

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Criminal Records Bureau checks for school staff took place last year; and how many he estimates will take place this year.

David Miliband: My Department does not collect this information.

Education Funding

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the overall percentage change in per pupil funding for 2003–04 for the 10 lowest funded education authorities in England.

David Miliband: The following table shows the 2003–04 Education Formula Spending Share per pupil and the increase over the adjusted 2002–03 Standard Spending Assessment for the 10 authorities who receive the lowest average EFSS per pupil.
	
		
			  Education Formula  Spending Share  per 3–15 pupil Percentage increase  over adjusted 2002–03  SSA per 3–15 pupil 
		
		
			 Leicestershire 2,939 3.2 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,953 5.6 
			 York 2,958 4.7 
			 Worcestershire 2,979 4.1 
			 Warrington 2,980 6.2 
			 Staffordshire 2,986 5.1 
			 Solihull 2,987 6.9 
			 Poole 2,990 4.2 
			 Stockport 3,002 6.1 
			 Dudley 3,020 7.0 
		
	
	The 2002–03 SSA figures have been adjusted to include the 2002–03 nursery education and infant class size allocations as these grants have been transferred into Education Formula Spending, and an estimate of the £586 million 2003–04 pension transfer, deflated by 2.5 per cent. for 2002–03. This was the baseline used to calculate the Education Formula Spending floors and ceilings.

Education Funding

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received concerning the failure of schools in East Sussex to meet standstill budget pressures for (a) the current academic year, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05.

David Miliband: The Department for Education and Skills has received large amounts of correspondence concerning education budgets for the current financial year from both schools and East Sussex local education authority, as it does each year. It is not possible to collate this information without disproportionate cost.

Secondary School Pupil Attainment

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he has collated on the impact of (a) increased funding, (b) school management reviews and (c) the creation of a subject specialism on levels of pupil attainment in secondary schools.

David Miliband: The Department's own figures show that there has been an increase of £10.5 billion in school funding since 1997. This equates to an increase in funding per pupil of £920 in cash terms over the period, and has enabled schools to increase the number of teachers that they employ by 20,000 and the number of support staff by 80,000. Coupled with improvements to school buildings and the rolling out of initiatives such as specialist schools these additional resources have been correlated with a substantial improvement in pupil achievement. In particular, since 1997 there has been a 5 percentage point increase in the proportion of secondary pupils achieving five or more A*-C GCSEs. Primary school pupils have also benefited with 10 and 14 percentage point improvements in the proportion achieving the expected level in English and Maths at KS2.
	Reviews of school management are primarily the responsibility of local education authorities, although an independent view of the competence of management and leadership in each school is an integral part of every Ofsted inspection. The annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector (February 2003) indicates that leadership and management of secondary head teachers and key staff continue to improve, and are now good or better in over eight out 10 schools. We continue to press hard to identify areas where improvement is still needed, using targeted policies and funding to do so.
	Building on the new Ofsted framework for inspection, groups of schools in receipt of Leadership Incentive Grant funding have, for example, been required to undertake rigorous self and peer review to identify strengths and weaknesses in key areas contributing to leadership and attainment. These Leadership Collaborates have used this knowledge to agree shared priorities for action in their Collaborative Plans. Where there are weaknesses, funding through the Grant can be used to restructure leadership teams and provide additional support for actions designed to raise attainment and strengthen teaching and learning across the Collaborative. We will be monitoring the impact on pupil attainment over the lifetime of the Grant.
	(c) In 2002, mainstream non-selective specialist schools averaged 54.1 per cent. 5+A* to C grades at GCSE compared to 46.7 per cent. for all other mainstream non-selective secondary schools. On average there was a 4.5 percentage points difference between the value added outcomes of these specialist schools in terms of KS2 to GCSE 5+A* to C when compared with non-specialist schools. Ofsted's 2001 report on specialist schools ("An evaluation of progress") said that specialist status had been
	"a catalyst for innovation and helped to sustain or accelerate the momentum of school improvement".

Secondary School Pupil Attainment

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will assess the impact of heterogenous pupil grouping on levels of discipline in the classroom.

Ivan Lewis: It is for schools to develop and determine for themselves the best form of pupil grouping to meet the needs of all their pupils. From September, all secondary schools in England will benefit from a package of training and audit materials, which will help schools to improve their effectiveness in promoting positive behaviour and attendance.

School Exclusions

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on educating excluded children in each year since 1995.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 3 June 2003
	The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Independent Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have been in receipt of assisted places at independent schools since 1997.

David Miliband: The Assisted Places Scheme is being phased out. The number of children holding assisted places in each school year since 1997/98 is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Academic year Number of assisted pupils 
		
		
			 1997/98 36,458 
			 1998/99 29,795 
			 1999/2000 23,255 
			 2000/01 17,927 
			 2001/02 12,550 
			 2002/03 7,690

Independent Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of (a) the number of children in receipt of scholarships, bursaries or other such assistance attending independent schools and (b) the total value of such assistance.

David Miliband: Information about the number of children attending independent schools who receive scholarships, bursaries or other financial support is not collected centrally. The Independent Schools Council estimate, in respect of their member schools, that over 160,000 pupils receive such help, nearly 114,000 of whom receive fee assistance directly from their schools.
	There are 7,690 children holding Government assisted places at independent schools at a total estimated cost of £32.7 million in the current school year 2002/03. 792 exceptionally talented children receive help under the Music and Dance Scheme at a total cost of £12.5 million. In addition, £132,000 is available to support 85 Choristers through the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme.

Individual Learning Account

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when individual learning accounts are expected to be re-introduced.

Ivan Lewis: We will make an announcement about the National Skills Strategy in July 2003, which will include our proposals for taking forward the principles of individual learning accounts.

Ofsted

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make it the policy of the Government that the South West Regional Centre of Ofsted should publish its telephone number;
	(2)  how many After School Clubs have been registered by Ofsted; how many applications are outstanding; and what the average time has been between the making of an application and its determination;
	(3)  what the average time has been between the date of an application for registration of an After School Club and the carrying out of an inspection visit;
	(4)  if he will make it the policy of the Government that each application for registration of an After School Club should be the responsibility of a named individual who can report to the applicant on the progress of the application; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: These are matters for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). HM Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

School Budgets

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list by local education authority (a) the number of schools requesting a budget deficit and (b) the value of budget deficits requested in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: Data on schools reaching agreements with their local education authority for a licensed deficit are not collected centrally.

School Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence between his Department and schools relating to school funding in 2003.

David Miliband: Fulfilling this request would incur disproportionate expense to the Department.

Sector Skills Councils

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in the creation of a sector skills council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sectors.

Ivan Lewis: The hospitality, leisure , travel and tourism (HLTT) Board submitted a full business proposal for SSC Licence on 31 March 2003. They have been fully supported by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) during the development stage.
	Following a series of feedback and progress review meetings between SSDA and HLTT, a substantially revised proposal for SSC Licence is expected on 6 June 2003, in time for it to be considered by the SSDA Board meeting in August 2003. The aim is for HLTT to be licensed by September 2003.
	It is recognised by the SSDA and HLTT that this is a challenging, but achievable target.

Teachers Pay and Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the breakdown of funding for pay and pensions out of the total amount provided for education in the recent local government settlement.

David Miliband: holding answer 21 May 2002
	The overall increase of £2.7 billion in the local government finance settlement does not provide funding specifically for pay, pensions or any other pressure. It is for local education authorities and schools to decide how to manage their budgets within the total available. However, we estimate that the cost of the increase in employer's contributions to teachers' pensions amounts to some £640 million and that the costs of teaching and non-teaching education staff represent an increase of some £820 million. Overall, the increase in total funding is about £250 million more than all the pressures including the pensions pay pressures described schools and authorities face in 2003–04.

Training

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Department's review of work-based training and the effects that the benefits system has on participation.

Ivan Lewis: The review of financial support for 16 to 19-year-olds has been jointly run by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions, with the close involvement of other relevant Departments and partners. This review has looked at making more effective the measures to support young people to participate in education or vocational training. In the Budget 2003 Red Book the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a more comprehensive review of financial support for 16 to 19-year-olds, including the financial incentives for young people, their parents and carers, and the interaction between this support and the case for any new minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds. The work of the current review group, including that relating to work based training, will inform the wider review announced by the Chancellor, which is due to report in spring 2004.

UK & Universities Worldwide

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what level of government resources have been expended on supporting the UKEU project;
	(2)  what level of government resources have been earmarked in future years to support the UKEU project;
	(3)  whether the business plan for UKEU contains proposals to repay government resources over time.

Margaret Hodge: The Government have provided £62 million to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) over the period 2001–04 to launch the eUniversities project, now being taken forward by UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU). HEFCE has agreed to provide up to £55 million to UKeU. The remainder has been used by HEFCE for projects to set up and advance the general aims of the project, notably the eChina Programme and to further research into e-learning provision. HEFCE will review the venture this autumn and no decisions have yet been made on future funding. The purpose of the HEFCE grant is to secure services to support the UK higher education sector by providing a technological and marketing infrastructure, and advice and guidance in providing online courses of study. Funds are invested through a Holding Company (the eLearning Holding Company Ltd.) which is owned by the higher education institutions of the UK. HEFCE currently requires that the Holding Company maintains at least a 50 per cent. stake in UKeU so that it may oversee the value for money represented in the services provided, and to oversee quality and standards of a venture which carries a brand backed by UK higher education. Profits, proportionate to the public funding element, from the venture will be returned to the sector through the Holding Company.

Voluntary Organisations

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding programmes are operated by his Department to support voluntary organisations working with young people; and what the level of support has been over the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 3 June 2003
	The Department funds 90 National Voluntary Youth Organisations (NVYOs) through the National Voluntary Youth Organisations Grant scheme. The grant scheme is a three year cycle of funding with a current budget of £18 million for April 2002-March 2005 a 50 per cent. increase in the previous three year cycle which was £12 million. The scheme is based on two ministerial objectives, tackling social exclusion through addressing priority groups and raising standards and quality of youth work.
	The Department has also allocated £1 million from the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund to the NVYOs within the grant scheme for 2003–04. This allocation is specifically aimed to support the following activities:
	Effective engagement with Connexions Service National Unit and local Connexions Partnerships
	Development of young people as Active Citizens, and
	Promotion of Community Cohesion.
	The previous and first year (2002–03) of the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund the NVYOs were allocated £2 million.
	The NVYO grant scheme is the only source of direct Government support for the voluntary youth sector; however the Department does fund the Millennium Volunteers (MV) programme. The programme has been designed to encourage 16–24 year olds to make a sustained commitment to volunteering that benefits others and their communities. Currently there are around 140 projects across England and the majority of these are existing voluntary and community organisations, offering a wide range of volunteering opportunities to young people. This year's budget is forecasted for £17.653 million while previous years' budgets have been £18.745 million for 2001–02 and £13.593 million for 2000–01.
	In addition to the Department's direct funding to the voluntary sector it does provide funds through the following:
	Education Standard Spending (ESS) Fund. For 2002–03 ESS allocated the LEA other block a potential resource of £397 million. £316 million of this total was allocated to the statutory youth services. It is estimated that around 16 per cent. (£50 million) of this allocation was spent on the voluntary sector.
	The Community Champions Fund (CCF) which has been set up by the Department to help support and develop the work of local people who are involved in, or who want to be involved in changing their communities for the better. In 2003, £289,000 of the £3 million is being used specifically to support the development of the fund with just over £2.7 million being devolved to the nine Government Offices, who administer the fund on DfES behalf. The fund will receive £2 million per year from April 2004 March 2006. The Fund is currently in its third year and has helped to turn visions into reality for well over 3,500 individuals and community champions in 2003/04.
	And the Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF) which supports local Voluntary and Community Organisations to provide innovative projects for the hardest to reach 13–19 year olds. NSF is delivered via three managing agents:
	The Community Development Foundation—a Home Office non-departmental public body and received the bulk of the funds to oversee around 500 projects.
	National Youth Agency (NYA)—Supports approximately 100 projects
	The Learning Alliance—delivers some 36 projects across England
	£60 million has been allocated to the fund over three years until September 2003. The Minister recently announced that NSF will receive funding of £10 million a year from 2003–04 to 2005–06.
	NSF has supported just over 44,000 participants since it started up with 61 per cent. of leavers achieving positive outcomes.

CABINET OFFICE

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year.

Douglas Alexander: Cabinet Office records indicate that approximately 41 staff had absences caused by mental ill health in the year 2002.
	The Cabinet Office is committed to managing attendance effectively, and to meeting its obligation to provide a safe working environment for its staff. We have in place arrangements recommended by the 1998 report, "Working Well Together—Managing Attendance in the Public Sector", and are on schedule to achieving our target for reduced sickness absence of 30 per cent. compared with 1998 levels.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems.

Douglas Alexander: In 2002, an estimated 1,472 working days were lost in the Cabinet Office as a result of absence caused by staff mental health problems.
	The Cabinet Office is committed to managing attendance effectively, and to meeting its obligation to provide a safe working environment for its staff. It is also a priority to reduce the number of days lost generally as a result of sickness and work-related injury. The Department has in place arrangements as recommended by the 1998 report, "Working Well Together—Managing Attendance in the Public Sector", and is on schedule to achieve its target for reduced sickness absence of 30 per cent. compared with 1998 levels.

Open Source Software

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action his Department is taking to increase confidence in Government Departments in moving to open source operating systems and programmes.

Douglas Alexander: I announced the publication of the Government's Open Source Software (OSS) Policy in July last year. It sets out a level playing field for procuring OSS and proprietary solutions based on value for money considerations.
	We are raising confidence in and awareness of the use of OSS solutions in Government in a number of ways. Firstly, the publication in September 2002 of the Office of Government Commerce's Guidance on implementing OSS has made advice on procuring OSS solutions available to the public sector procurement community. Secondly, the establishment of the UK Public Sector OSS Special Interest Group (OSS SIG) has helped to share best practice on OSS implementations and build competence in procurement.
	Recent research reports supported by Government have also served to increase awareness of OSS solutions: the OGC commissioned case-study based report by QinetiQ provided a documented methodology for approaching OSS case studies in a consistent manner; and the DTI supported report for OpenForum Europe, "Market Perception Analysis of Open Source Software", revealed how business and Government's perceptions of OSS positively changed between 2002 and 2003.
	The Office of the e-Envoy and Office of Government Commerce will continue to appropriately support Departments to ensure that OSS solutions are procured where they demonstrate best value for money.

Senior Civil Service

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 21 May 2003, Official Report, column 774W, if he will list by Government Department the number and proportion of posts in the Senior Civil Service for which sitting an entrance exam and passing it is a compulsory element for recruitment into the Department.

Douglas Alexander: There is no corporate requirement that applicants to Senior Civil Service posts sit entrance exams.
	With the exception of the most senior posts, recruitment to the Senior Civil Service is the responsibility of individual Government Departments and agencies. Departments are free to choose the selection methods that best suit their individual needs.
	Information is not held centrally on the specific methods of recruitment used for individual posts, but those most often used by Departments include job specific interviews, which address the competencies needed for the post, and/or use of competency-based assessment centres. At assessment centres, applicants may be interviewed, asked to give presentations, or complete job-related exercises.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the economic benefits of developing nanotechnology in the UK.

Alan Johnson: The latest assessment was made in June 2002 by the UK Advisory Group on Nanotechnology Applications led by Dr. John Taylor, Director-General of the Research Councils, and is contained in his report to my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation titled "New Dimensions for Manufacturing—A UK Strategy for Nanotechnology'". The report concluded that it is too soon to produce reliable figures for the global market for nanotechnology. It is simply too early to say where markets and applications will come, and when. So it is important to treat all numbers with caution. However, existing forecasts do hint at the growth that we can expect. Various separate predictions when taken together point to the expectation of a rapid take off in the latter part of the decade.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inward investment the UK has received in the last 12 months as a result of nanotechnology.

Alan Johnson: Invest UK is focusing its efforts on high value, knowledge driven direct investment projects, including in the area of nanotechnology, to ensure that the UK moves up the value chain and remains the number one location in Europe for inward investment.
	A number of inward investors are supporting nanotechnology work in the UK, including Johnson and Johnson, Smith and Nephew, Epson, Toshiba, Hitachi and SDL/JDS Uniphase.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total Government spending is on nanotechnology.

Alan Johnson: The vast majority of Government spending has been made by the Research Councils in particular the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. This amounts to a current portfolio of research grants on nanotechnology of £91 million.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department has drawn up a public education strategy for nanotechnology.

Alan Johnson: I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that the Government has today commissioned the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to undertake an important new study in this area.
	Nanotechnologies could provide immense benefits for all of us. But Government also recognises that there are public concerns. The debate risks confusion. We need to understand first what we mean by nanotechnologies, and then to establish whether there are aspects which should concern us. And if so, we need to look at how well these activities are regulated or whether further regulation is required. The study we are commissioning is intended to help answer these questions. Our approach underlines the Government's desire to acknowledge uncertainties openly and to engage with the public and stakeholders, and reflects our response to recommendations by the Better Regulation Task Force in its report 'Scientific Research: Innovation with Controls', published in January this year. The Task Force's report and the Government response can be found on the BRTF website at http://www.brtf.gov.uk/taskforce/pastreports.htm
	The Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering will solicit widely for input among stakeholders—including the academic community, relevant industry, policy makers, regulatory bodies, NGOs, other special interest groups and the general public. The work will begin with an open call to the various stakeholders to register their interests and key concerns. Formal evidence sessions will then be held with the key stakeholders to explore their views in more detail.
	The study will be overseen by a working group chaired by Ann Dowling, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Membership of the working group has yet to be finalised but will include those with an understanding of ethical, social and regulatory issues, as well as scientists and engineers. The working group will reflect the range of disciplines and views associated with nanotechnology.
	A number of aspects have been built into the study in order to engage the general public; independent and representative focus groups will be convened, a questionnaire survey undertaken and an online discussion forum established to ensure that any general concerns are addressed. The final report of the study will of course be in the public domain and freely available on the Royal Society website.
	The study is expected to be completed in late Spring 2004.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will assess the benefits of developing pooled financing for nanotechnology with other Government Departments.

Alan Johnson: The Department has established a group of officials from all relevant Government Departments, which will take forward the possibility of pooled financing for nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the DTI, OST and the research councils will form a joint strategy on nanotechnology.

Alan Johnson: The Research councils will be invited to join a Nanotechnolgoy Strategy Group that the Department is establishing.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to foster closer links between academic institutions involved in nanotechnology research and industry.

Alan Johnson: DTI is working with various research councils, particularly Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and the UK Regional and National Development Agencies (RDAs) to foster closer links between industry and academe. The RDAs are establishing an asset register of nanotechnology capabilities in the UK, which includes both academic and industrial facilities which might be made available to a wider range of users.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in her Department are employed to deal with nanotechnology.

Alan Johnson: The Department employs the equivalent of eight full time officials working on nanotechnology. However, due to the broad spectrum of potential applications of nanotechnology there is a wide range of officials across DTI and other Government Departments who deal with nanotechnology as part of their work.

Nanotechnology

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department has drawn up a plan for developing the nanotechnology industry in the UK.

Alan Johnson: The latest roadmap for nanotechnology is contained in Annex B of "New Dimensions for Manufacturing—A UK Strategy for Nanotechnology" (the Taylor Report). This report recommends further roadmapping activity, which will be directed by the National Strategy Group.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department does not keep central records of the number of temporary agency staff. The overall spend on temporary agency staff was £5.894 million in 2001–02 and £6.426 million in 2002–03.

Ethnic Minority Business Forum

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the process applied to the selection of members of the Ethnic Minority Business Forum; what review system of the selection methods is in place; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The process of recruiting and selecting members to serve on the Ethnic Minority Business Forum (EMBF) is governed by the Government's Code of Practice for all Non-Department Public Bodies (NDPBs).
	Members of the EMBF are appointed from a broad spread of ethnic minority backgrounds and business sectors to achieve a balanced mix as an advisory body. There is an on-going programme to rotate the EMBF membership periodically.

Ethnic Minority Business Forum

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what public monies have been made available in each year since 2001 to (a) the Ethnic Minority Business Forum, (b) individuals who are members of that Forum and (c) organisations and companies connected with individuals who are members of that Forum.

Patricia Hewitt: (a) Members are currently unpaid but are reimbursed for travel and subsistence, according to the rates applicable to senior civil servants.
	(b) Current members of the Ethnic Minority Business Forum (EMBF) are as follows. (The EMBF currently has two vacancies).
	
		Ethnic Minority Business Forum members
		
			  
			 Ms Yvonne Thompson (Chair) 
			 Mrs. Jaswin MacDonald 
			 Mr. Tony Sealey 
			 Mr. Kam Kothia 
			 Mr. Niyazi Enver 
			 Dr. Haider Imam 
			 Ms Maxine James 
			 Ms Adeeba Malik 
			 Sir Gulam Noon MBE 
			 Prof. Monder Ram 
			 Mr. Askar Sheibani 
			 Mr. Mohammed Isap 
			 Mr. Leslie Fairclough 
			 Mr. Michael Davis-Bingham 
			 Mr. Numan Azmi 
			 Miss Mai Sim Lei 
			 Mrs. Rita Patel 
			 Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan 
		
	
	(c) List of organisation and companies connected with individual members of the Forum.
	
		
			 Name and Title Organisation/Company 
		
		
			 (Chair) Yvonne Thompson Ms Managing Director, ASAP Communications Ltd. 
			 Numan Azmi Mr. Skills Manager, William Lee Innovation Centre at UMIST 
			 Vlaxine James Ms Partner, Equinox Consulting 
			 Vlichael Davis-Bingham Mr. Head Economic Development Environment & Economy—Borough of Telford and Wrekin 
			 Jaswin MacDonald Mrs. Administrator/Committee member, Anjuman 
			 Rita Patel Mrs. Project Manager, Belgrave Baheno Peepul Centre 
			 Tony Sealey Mr. Business franchise operator, MacDonald' s restaurants 
			 Leslie Fairclough Mr. Managing Director, Premier Care 
			 Kam Kothia Mr. Managing Director, E-Marketing Services Ltd. 
			 Sfiyazi Enver Mr. Managing Director, Nice and Easy Printing 
			 Dr. Haider Imam Director, Durham Organics Ltd. 
			 Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan Partner, law firm Hussain Singh Khan & Co. 
			 Mai Sim Lei Ms Partner, Pridie Brewster Chartered Accountants 
			 Adeeba Malik Ms Deputy Chief Executive QED 
			 Sir Gulam Noon MBE Chairman and Managing Director, Noon Products 
			 Prof. Monder Ram Professor of Small Business Research, De Montfort University 
			 Askar Sheibani Mr. Chief Executive, Comtek Group 
			 Mohammed Isap Mr. Director, Manchester Print Graphics

Ethnic Minority Business Forum

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the material publicly available in respect of the Ethnic Minority Business Forum, with particular reference to the members of that forum.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of the Ethnic Minority Forum members are published on their website www.ethnicbusiness.org, which is managed by the Small Business Service and in the Forum's annual report.

Executive Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the publications produced by her Department in each year since 1997 which have made reference to executive remuneration, stating for each the (a) number of copies produced, (b) cost of publication, (c) cost of preparation and (d) cost of production.

Patricia Hewitt: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the reasons why the ECGD has deemed that environmental impact assessments are commercially confidential.

Patricia Hewitt: The ECGD does not consider Environmental Impact Assessments ("an EIA") commissioned by the ECGD as commercially confidential. However, in the case of an EIA provided to the ECGD by a third part, who claims that it is commercially confidential, the ECGD will consider that claim. Where the ECGD considers that the claims is justified in law then the ECGD will treat it as confidential.

National Minimum Wage

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employers were (a) cautioned and (b) prosecuted in each of the Inland Revenue's regions in 2002–03 for failing to pay the national minimum wage; how many employees were affected; what the total was of arrears; what the penalties were; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 contains a number of provisions empowering enforcement officers to take civil action against non-paying employers and the Inland Revenue always uses these in the first instance.
	In 2002–03, 1,996 employers were found not to be complying with the minimum wage regulations, with approximately 7,373 workers benefiting directly from the Inland Revenue's investigations.
	In addition, the Inland Revenue identified over £3.5 million in arrears. The majority of employers complied without further action being needed and only 26 enforcement notices were issued. To date there have been no criminal prosecutions in relation to under-payment of the minimum wage.

Outsourcing

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the change in outsourcing outside the UK on (a) employment and (b) job creation.

Alan Johnson: Outsourcing is one element of globalisation that also includes rising world trade, and greater flows of foreign direct investment (FDI). The key challenge for the UK is to seize the benefits of globalisation, allowing us to attract more FDI, and sell our goods and services into expanding global markets. The UK has the highest stock of FDI as a percentage of GDP in the G7, demonstrating our success in adapting to the opportunities provided by globalisation.
	The Office for National Statistics does not produce estimates of job losses arising from outsourcing. The Government do recognise that job losses, from wherever they arise, are regrettable. However, the role of Government is to ensure that the labour market is flexible enough to generate new opportunities, and that workers have the skills to take advantage of them. Employment is close to a record level, and is nearly 1.5 million higher than in April 1997. Moreover, new jobs continue to be created. Around two million people either move into employment or change jobs each quarter.

Power Supplies (Dumfries and Galloway)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the stability of power supplies in Dumfries and Galloway.

Brian Wilson: I am aware that SP Transmission and Distribution, the license holder for the Dumfries and Galloway area, is addressing two strategic issues that relate to the security and quality of supply in the area. These are the closure of Chapelcross power station (in or before 2008) and the impact of renewable generation in the area. In the first case, a new substation will be commissioned in Gretna to secure the network against premature closure of the power station. In the case of renewables, SP Transmission and Distribution have collaborated with a study on behalf of the Department to identify necessary infrastructure reinforcements to accommodate various scenarios of renewable generation in Scotland.

Race Relations

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in her Department and non-departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; and if she will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act.

Patricia Hewitt: In the middle of 2002, my Department publicly consulted on a draft Race Equality Scheme for DTI and its non-departmental public bodies. These comprise six Executive Agencies, seven Research Councils, 11 executive non-departmental public bodies, 24 advisory non-departmental public bodies and seven tribunals. The draft included a description of DTI's employment practices and of its policy programmes, categorised as having a "high", "moderate" or "low" likely impact on race equality. This consultation resulted in excess of 53,000 hits to the draft scheme on our website, and at the end of December 2002, the results were confirmed and published as DTI's final Race Equality Scheme. Both the analysis of the responses and the final Race Equality Scheme are available on the website or in hard copy. The Scheme includes a commitment to annual monitoring and appropriate publication.

Redundancy Pay

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the extent to which agency workers can claim statutory redundancy pay; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: Individuals, including agency workers, dismissed by their employers for reason of redundancy, will be entitled to the statutory redundancy payment if they are employees working under contracts of employment and have worked continuously for the same employer for at least two years since the age of 18. Whether or not an individual is an employee is a mixed question of fact and law, which, in the event of a dispute, can be decided by a court on the basis of the facts of the case. We are, therefore, unable to make an exact assessment of the extent to which agency workers can claim statutory redundancy pay.

Regional Development Agencies

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her reply of 21 May 2003, Official Report, column 767W, 
	(1)  if she will set out in respect of each region the amount allocated in respect of each of her indicators;
	(2)  when the allocation formula was approved and by whom; and when it will be reviewed next.

Alan Johnson: The following table shows the amount of money initially allocated to each of the Agencies for the current financial year in respect of each of the indicators. The allocation formula was approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in August 2002. The intention is that it will be reviewed at the time of the next Spending Review.
	
		
			  Indicator 
			 Regional Development Agencies (5)I (6)II (7)III (8)IV (9)V (10)VI (11)VII (12)VIII (13)IX 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 5 5 23 5 6 71 99 8 7 
			 East of England 5 5 12 0 11 14 29 7 6 
			 East Midlands 5 4 15 2 9 35 34 6 6 
			 London 5 6 0 5 0 91 222 6 6 
			 North West 5 6 36 5 9 134 126 9 8 
			 One North East 5 2 23 13 4 58 107 5 4 
			 South East 5 7 10 0 12 12 41 3 8 
			 South West of England 5 4 21 1 22 16 27 5 6 
			 Yorkshire Forward 5 5 27 25 6 74 98 7 6 
		
	
	(5) Flat rate allocation for all RDAs, to cover common administrative overheads.
	(6) Population size.
	(7) Gross Domestic Product per head, where the richest region gets zero.
	(8) Research and Development expenditure per head with the weakest regions benefiting most.
	(9) Population of Rural Priority Areas.
	(10) Number of people living in the most deprived 10 per cent. of wards.
	(11) The hundred poorest authorities in terms of unemployment rate.
	(12) The amount of derelict land and pre-used land with planning permission.
	(13) The proportion of the working age population classed as partly skilled or unskilled.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Sport (Child Obesity)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 53W, on child obesity, how many young people were targeted by Sport England's physical activity exercises in each of the last five years; what proportion of those young people who took part were identified as clinically obese; and what proportion of those young people identified as clinically obese saw their weight fall below clinically obese levels.

Richard Caborn: This information is not available.

Freeview

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the percentage of the UK population able to receive Freeview digital television.

Kim Howells: I understand from the BBC that at Freeview's launch in October 2002, coverage stood at 72.3 per cent. of UK households. By the end of July 2003, Freeview coverage to correct domestic antennas in good condition is expected to stand at 73.1 per cent. of UK households. Further information can be obtained from Freeview's website at: www.freeview.co.uk.

Independent Cinemas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future of small independent cinemas.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 467W.

Lindisfarne Gospels

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the British Library about the number of facsimile copies of the Lindisfarne gospels that have been produced; whether copies of the gospels of the type given by the Library to Durham Cathedral and to Lindisfarne are available for purchase commercially; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The production and distribution of facsimile copies of the Lindisfarne Gospels is a matter for the British Library and the publisher. It is not therefore an issue about which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had discussions. However, we understand that the publisher has made 980 copies available for sale. This will help to recoup the substantial investment in the development of the facsimile and, to the extent that copies are purchased by other libraries, will help to make them available more widely.

Lottery Funding

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery funding was spent in the fair share target areas in each of the last 10 years.

Richard Caborn: The following table, which is based upon information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the National Lottery awards database, shows (in alphabetical order) how much lottery money has been awarded in the fair share target areas in each calendar year since 1995. The figures for 2003 go up to 1 June.
	Note:
	Lottery awards were made from 1995 onwards. The Fair Share initiative began in April 2002.
	
		£
		
			 Local authority 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 Isle of Anglesey 1,019,251 897,393 892,171 491,085 1,374,265 
			 Ards 100,000 269,279 366,674 941,652 410,786 
			 Ashfield 230,200 310,743 399,091 244,982 1,598,645 
			 Ballymena 165,075 5,351,404 807,373 231,640 4,372,978 
			 Barking and Dagenham 110,700 1,100,430 4,082,521 2,402,999 1,483,523 
			 Barnsley 6,155,211 1,042,743 1,023,244 1,413,835 4,490,642 
			 Basildon 369,139 574,517 130,900 174,742 825,518 
			 Belfast 8,215,128 11,078,477 61,479,191 17,254,126 20,927,712 
			 Blackpool 142,328 1,337,640 634,298 1,616,252 2,323,526 
			 Blaenau Gwent 243,253 898,913 389,187 644,588 717,779 
			 Blyth Valley 1,121,758 185,985 276,364 70,549 990,718 
			 Bolsover 146,297 216,928 98,973 1,603,246 1,721,742 
			 Bolton 399,981 3,039,798 2,287,380 3,654,166 3,955,193 
			 Bournemouth 1,193,530 705,479 2,926,815 1,768,630 1,019,078 
			 Brent 359,548 3,324,871 2,098,904 1,939,972 122,870,051 
			 Burnley 157,170 2,716,328 1,376,210 901,271 1,849,724 
			 Caerphilly 743,477 2,193,777 663,327 886,144 2,631,248 
			 Castlereagh 420,953 441,050 1,007,249 481,933 2,723,360 
			 City of Kingston upon Hull 1,649,756 2,225,106 23,289,980 2,751,994 5,585,934 
			 Coleraine 338,516 88,613 291,914 391,977 854,501 
			 Craigavon 195,905 1,847,581 458,632 989,627 3,728,189 
			 Darlington 284,000 1,360,033 179,272 1,904,102 1,431,807 
			 Derby 1,377,528 3,604,609 2,593,271 2,016,051 5,623,164 
			 Doncaster 40,460,085 2,987,999 1,181,965 2,904,839 7,518,607 
			 Dudley 1,181,526 4,303,915 4,621,850 3,365,442 4,190,638 
			 Dundee City 2,827,166 7,020,025 5,696,718 6,244,636 1,866,273 
			 Dungannon 331,798 658,218 1,797,645 516,120 1,821,376 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 0 1,434,629 810,600 651,550 674,183 
			 Enfield 172,884 1,636,309 12,521,210 880,784 6,529,037 
			 Glasgow City 46,042,740 31,246,325 108,167,017 28,677,401 19,399,236 
			 Great Yarmouth 532,905 484,214 972,806 457,795 683,393 
			 Hyndburn 229,496 350,616 1,401,229 184,792 202,532 
			 Kirklees 1,915,237 10,847,956 7,794,800 2,397,648 5,016,901 
			 Knowsley 2,171,294 1,383,189 197,265 164,583 2,360,325 
			 Limavady 124,500 310,727 811,948 674,336 311,054 
			 Lisburn 198,072 1,541,521 1,279,492 1,815,262 1,237,931 
			 Londonderry 2,046,936 3,747,731 5,852,206 5,870,381 2,482,380 
			 Luton 576,542 4,217,919 541,947 510,563 3,171,524 
			 Moyle 226,821 297,389 141,290 717,248 254,285 
			 Neath Port Talbot 266,368 1,996,974 992,799 782,375 1,964,458 
			 Newry and Mourne 1,398,165 1,568,244 1,056,374 1,490,286 2,397,328 
			 Newtownabbey 41,001 918,965 474,049 812,168 278,890 
			 North East Lincolnshire 649,475 1,103,662 415,254 429,142 2,117,857 
			 North Lanarkshire 1,204,250 1,046,400 829,609 2,503,519 4,614,528 
			 North Somerset 3,027,129 1,173,798 377,524 3,356,443 1,676,757 
			 Oldham 634,682 1,525,953 3,826,995 1,519,699 2,208,801 
			 Omagh 596,779 1,048,252 771,523 608,713 9,313,056 
			 Pendle 1,047,066 1,227,688 195,531 98,802 1,128,751 
			 Peterborough 754,119 7,986,560 1,659,040 2,426,939 2,657,190 
			 Portsmouth 44,713,674 6,668,060 1,520,918 2,975,552 3,007,875 
			 Renfrewshire 206,106 2,331,658 603,464 935,485 3,650,779 
			 Rochdale 1,557,057 1,629,083 1,116,436 3,709,859 2,474,751 
			 Rotherham 715,253 821,556 23,553,449 788,862 2,797,444 
			 Salford 1,162,597 70,106,645 923,626 903,390 2,749,605 
			 Sandwell 953,932 5,902,924 4,240,804 6,725,332 7,667,592 
			 Sefton 276,757 792,799 2,808,741 3,907,789 3,074,110 
			 Solihull 853,823 382,483 795,542 133,779 1,611,985 
			 South Ayrshire 757,690 1,337,835 387,098 579,475 1,192,659 
			 South Lanarkshire 2,155,617 3,547,487 9,197,556 2,914,015 5,928,908 
			 St. Helens 1,552,880 1,119,361 8,911,882 1,024,186 3,610,484 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 972,830 6,789,260 1,188,977 706,214 6,185,635 
			 Strabane 182,500 898,902 490,648 962,433 608,609 
			 Swindon 274,304 2,079,695 9,195,240 2,123,528 5,755,274 
			 Tameside 2,248,356 1,592,000 904,214 1,330,163 2,071,880 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1,279,005 2,580,664 3,052,833 841,684 7,063,890 
			 Tendring 512,557 1,022,643 941,427 540,454 764,496 
			 Thanet 400,070 795,107 432,720 1,899,080 3,806,303 
			 Trafford 345,877 2,972,661 1,181,288 2,693,487 2,537,394 
			 Wakefield 536,264 5,564,848 4,122,837 4,515,613 4,646,931 
			 Walsall 1,511,178 16,710,234 1,954,081 5,406,728 2,332,477 
			 Waltham Forest 432,610 1,863,734 782,102 5,613,454 2,789,588 
			 Wansbeck 194,155 410,794 160,282 895,488 630,324 
			 Waveney 771,421 499,497 412,422 1,432,691 556,379 
			 West Lancashire 409,786 2,123,428 59,340 780,740 264,942 
			 Wigan 386,310 1,055,414 7,640,861 5,389,444 4,345,964 
			 Wirral 1,275,958 2,316,483 1,695,848 2,081,314 7,617,952 
			 Wrexham 856,855 4,879,329 662,869 2,619,852 2,541,937 
			 Total 201,291,162 285,671,459 361,079,132 179,267,120 371,873,541 
		
	
	
		£
		
			 Local authority 2000 2001 2002 To June 2003 
		
		
			 Isle of Anglesey 606,943 1,061,268 2,076,840 99,460 
			 Ards 266,440 633,333 906,678 573,961 
			 Ashfield 681,770 2,280,091 6,560,617 879,578 
			 Ballymena 892,306 9,030,106 734,561 169,270 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,722,844 3,547,688 4,112,509 1,348,100 
			 Barnsley 3,623,941 2,795,108 3,501,847 3,775,111 
			 Basildon 368,408 1,451,338 1,067,878 466,525 
			 Belfast 9,785,816 15,475,372 12,642,803 2,626,883 
			 Blackpool 5,041,250 3,051,422 997,624 1,603,886 
			 Blaenau Gwent 736,534 2,520,410 2,973,398 205,421 
			 Blyth Valley 576,112 863,528 692,476 247,375 
			 Bolsover 235,406 3,746,556 876,060 912,659 
			 Bolton 14,751,962 3,455,401 6,663,986 3,270,829 
			 Bournemouth 743,432 1,210,622 1,248,902 1,194,060 
			 Brent 4,916,101 3,440,967 3,906,683 995,425 
			 Burnley 658,170 1,312,582 1,847,925 335,947 
			 Caerphilly 881,248 3,586,946 2,506,397 1,716,825 
			 Castlereagh 1,051,401 400,248 783,125 439,944 
			 City of Kingston upon Hull 2,438,574 6,054,555 12,495,845 1,353,691 
			 Coleraine 649,421 203,474 354,014 1,015,447 
			 Craigavon 802,070 769,666 1,213,066 1,472,550 
			 Darlington 420,459 2,350,457 5,116,652 943,999 
			 Derby 1,910,955 10,381,126 2,165,261 2,229,053 
			 Doncaster 1,998,596 3,477,546 9,082,990 814,927 
			 Dudley 3,027,513 2,542,870 3,364,331 1,748,000 
			 Dundee City 1,837,720 6,520,227 3,312,989 1,452,797 
			 Dungannon 1,092,525 1,015,621 537,701 355,381 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 858,489 1,591,528 760,096 875,787 
			 Enfield 1,381,315 10,750,422 2,132,731 2,080,693 
			 Glasgow City 17,299,980 20,415,008 26,012,366 10,782,044 
			 Great Yarmouth 556,574 3,119,575 2,749,898 1,469,036 
			 Hyndburn 947,403 925,977 243,231 422,691 
			 Kirklees 3,367,270 5,492,155 8,221,777 3,307,023 
			 Knowsley 3,305,272 5,334,066 1,500,158 3,104,484 
			 Limavady 255,465 1,550,273 489,278 104,006 
			 Lisburn 1,216,895 756,813 1,299,170 159,640 
			 Londonderry 2,916,618 5,349,666 3,951,296 480,099 
			 Luton 1,527,421 2,105,176 3,262,989 2,136,932 
			 Moyle 223,870 119,088 294,595 238,784 
			 Neath Port Talbot 1,513,769 1,979,711 2,455,748 412,577 
			 Newry and Mourne 1,883,701 1,633,451 874,089 308,005 
			 Newtownabbey 385,192 517,033 798,041 105,839 
			 North East Lincolnshire 1,292,458 2,603,905 2,201,061 553,129 
			 North Lanarkshire 2,589,247 2,889,947 3,545,118 600,334 
			 North Somerset 867,666 1,736,056 2,199,377 1,675,609 
			 Oldham 3,552,160 3,736,524 3,752,043 2,397,181 
			 Omagh 1,071,588 762,220 1,377,794 880,223 
			 Pendle 776,735 899,843 1,669,096 750,777 
			 Peterborough 2,097,694 1,799,776 3,292,755 958,456 
			 Portsmouth 4,502,616 3,222,546 5,765,705 755,639 
			 Renfrewshire 1,043,901 1,509,684 2,828,021 287,961 
			 Rochdale 4,313,735 3,001,481 3,287,576 2,593,384 
			 Rotherham 2,504,116 5,525,997 8,013,656 2,556,955 
			 Salford 6,218,083 10,748,938 2,275,655 13,452,066 
			 Sandwell 3,852,429 21,872,337 5,334,856 4,337,235 
			 Sefton 5,800,894 3,033,187 2,218,638 3,345,229 
			 Solihull 1,220,543 1,697,602 1,916,026 2,097,737 
			 South Ayrshire 1,409,531 1,313,503 1,112,823 1,071,370 
			 South Lanarkshire 2,303,383 2,279,152 5,823,062 666,028 
			 St. Helens 1,414,947 1,960,962 3,249,485 4,176,001 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 1,661,480 2,218,503 5,778,001 2,808,915 
			 Strabane 1,347,462 1,144,024 507,434 312,888 
			 Swindon 1,229,033 2,467,551 2,069,569 577,002 
			 Tameside 2,333,037 2,040,217 6,762,040 1,569,224 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3,799,912 1,173,348 1,342,409 628,877 
			 Tendring 636,514 899,787 1,732,132 296,608 
			 Thanet 1,414,351 2,019,388 1,826,958 996,162 
			 Trafford 3,432,213 1,853,879 1,838,432 880,464 
			 Wakefield 8,234,862 4,335,394 10,113,602 3,427,842 
			 Walsall 2,169,332 5,643,089 4,507,413 2,769,316 
			 Waltham Forest 2,491,469 3,751,370 2,500,637 3,023,997 
			 Wansbeck 837,100 1,739,623 1,760,008 870,357 
			 Waveney 352,998 1,718,583 1,089,222 959,359 
			 West Lancashire 572,241 680,436 2,574,310 641,944 
			 Wigan 1,422,483 4,139,555 3,360,138 3,077,344 
			 Wirral 3,985,992 2,664,263 10,292,360 4,286,150 
			 Wrexham 1,095,193 972,623 2,868,861 402,770 
			 Total 183,204,549 264,873,763 267,574,894 128,919,277

Olympic Bid

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the likely impact that the introduction of a new London Olympic lottery game would have on the level of funds that are being generated by the existing lottery games.

Richard Caborn: Preliminary estimates suggest that the negative net impact need not exceed 4 per cent. (or about £54m a year) for the remainder of Camelot's licence period (i.e. until 2009). These estimates are subject to the work to be done by Camelot on the design, structure, and marketing of new games, which the National Lottery Commission will need to consider before licensing them.

Olympic Bid

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she will take to ensure that the London Olympic Bid will not reduce the level of sports funding to the North West.

Richard Caborn: The distribution of Lottery Sports funds to the English regions is a matter for Sport England. The Government has guaranteed the percentage shares of Lottery proceeds net of any income generated by the new hypothecated Olympic Lottery games going to the sports, arts, heritage and charities good causes will not fall below their current level of 16 at least until 2009. The National Lottery Commission's prudent assessment is that the Olympic Lottery games could generate £750 million in the period 2005–2012. However it does not discount the possibility of the initiatives out-performing this estimate. Up to a further £340 million will be sought from theestablished Lottery Sports Fund distributors for Olympic costs.
	Preliminary estimates provided by Camelot, as assessed by the National Lottery Commission, suggest that any negative impact on income on the existing good causes from the new Olympic Lottery games would be small—4 per cent. for the remainder of the Camelot licence period, until 2009. That equates to £54 million out of their current forecast annual income of £1.5 billion. The precise impact on existing good causes will depend on the way in which Olympic Games are developed. Camelot will carry out extensive market research to establish how to reduce or even eliminate this negative effect. In fact, any Olympic Games could so invigorate the Lottery that other good causes benefit. Any outstanding balance could be met by changing the percentage shares of Lottery income passing to the existing Good Causes after 2009.

Olympic Bid

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the estimated (a) number of sales, (b) total revenue, (c) total raised for a London Olympic Games, (d) total paid in prizes, (e) total raised for the Exchequer and (f) total in administration costs of the new lottery games for a London Olympic Games.

Richard Caborn: Our estimates are that the proposed Olympic Lottery should yield 750 million towards the costs of staging the Olympic games in London, subject to Parliamentary approval of legislation for the introduction of a hypothecated income stream. These amounts together with sales numbers and prize payments will depend on further work to be done by Camelot on the design and structure of the games, which will be necessary before the National Lottery Commission can license them; and on the nature of the Lottery operation following the end of the current licence in 2009. However, the money spent by players on Lottery tickets is currently approximately shared out among the following stakeholders as follows: prize winners 50 per cent.; for the good causes 28 per cent.; to the Exchequer 12 per cent. (Lottery duty); in commission on sales to retailers 5 per cent.; in operating costs 4.5 per cent.; and in profit to Camelot 0.5 per cent. These proportions will not necessarily remain unchanged throughout the relevant period, but if they did so then total sales of £2,680 million would imply Lottery duty of £330 million retail and operating costs of £254 million.

Olympic Bid

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the contingency plans for the financing of a London Olympic Games if (a) Lottery and (b) private sector funds are insufficient to cover the total projected cost.

Richard Caborn: The agreed public funding package of £2.375 billion in place for a London 2012 Olympics already includes a significant contingency element of more than £1.2 billion over the public subsidy requirement estimated by Arup as part of its cost benefit analysis of a specimen Olympics situated in the Lower Lea Valley. This compares with the required public subsidy for the Sydney Olympics of approximately £750 million.
	The Government plan to be the ultimate guarantor of Olympic funding needs should the shortfall between Olympic costs and revenues exceed the agreed £2.375 billion public funding package. The Government expect to discharge that responsibility in a sharing arrangement to be agreed as appropriate with the Mayor of London and through seeking additional National Lottery funding in amounts to be agreed at the time.
	These expectations will be reviewed in summer 2005 when the bid has been finalised and we have a clearer picture of the likely costs. Any such review would also allow the inclusion of additional funding sources as appropriate.

Open Air Events

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what restrictions and licensing controls are placed by her Department upon small-scale open air events on (a) public and (b) private land.

Kim Howells: The London Government Act 1963 provides that premises in the Greater London Area on which any public dancing, music or public entertainment of a like kind or a boxing or wrestling entertainment takes place, requires a public entertainment licence. An open space in Greater London may be "premises" and a performance of music or dancing there may require a public entertainment licence.
	The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, regulates public dancing, music or other public entertainment of a like kind in England and Wales outside Greater London. A licence is not required for entertainment that takes place wholly or mainly in the open air unless a local authority has passed a resolution that paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 1 to the Act shall have effect. Paragraphs 3 and 4 require public musical entertainment to be licensed if it takes place wholly or mainly in the open air and at a place on private land. The requirement for a licence does not apply to a garden fete, bazaar, sale of work, sporting or athletic event, exhibition, display or other function or event of a similar character or a religious meeting or service, merely because music is incidental to it. No licence is required under these provisions for entertainment held in a pleasure fair.
	If alcohol is to be supplied at an event, the provisions of the Licensing Act 1964 or the Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 will apply, requiring authorisation for the activity.

Pubs (Music)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether (a) pianos and (b) other forms of un-amplified music can be played in pubs without a licence under the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: Under the Licensing Bill, the provision of regulated entertainment is a licensable activity. Schedule 1 provides that a performance of live music is a description of entertainment under the Bill, and this covers both amplified and un-amplified music. Accordingly, subject to the conditions and exemptions in the Bill, live musical performances in pubs would require the authorisation of a premises licence, a club premises certificate or a temporary event notice.
	The Government have accepted the principle that the performance of live music (as well as the playing of recorded music) which is incidental to activities which are not themselves entertainment or the provision of entertainment facilities should not be regulated entertainment for the purposes of the Bill and it has been amended accordingly.

Race Relations

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in her Department and non departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; and if she will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act.

Kim Howells: As demonstration of the Department's commitment to promoting equality and diversity, one of the Department's four public service agreements has specific numerical targets for increasing the level of participation in our areas by priority groups. We published our Race Equality Scheme in May 2002 and a summary of the assessments of our functions and policies under the Act in October 2002. The results of the monitoring required under the Act were published in our departmental Annual Report, copies of which were laid before Parliament on 15 May 2003.
	The majority of the non departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department are designated under the Act as public bodies in their own right and information is not held centrally.

Television Licence Fee

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future of the television licence fee.

Kim Howells: The Government intends that the television licence fee will remain the main source of BBC funding at least until the expiry of the BBC's current Royal Charter at the end of 2006. The arrangements for funding the Corporation after that date will be considered as part of the Charter review process.

Youth Sports

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport [pursuant to her answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 54W], on youth sports, how many (a) specialist sports colleges, (b) school sport co-ordinators, (c) Step into Sport programmes, (d) Community Development Club programmes, (e) Sporting Playgrounds, (f) coaches and (g) club and development programmes there were in October 2002, broken down by region; and how many there are expected to be in each region in (i) October 2003, (ii) October 2004 and (iii) October 2005.

Richard Caborn: In October 2002, there were 161 specialist sports colleges designated and operational, 769 School Sport Coordinators in post and 525 schools involved in Step into Sport. The Community Club Development programme had not commenced, and no Sporting Playgrounds projects had been completed. Robust information on coaches is not currently available; a major data-collection exercise will shortly be conducted to address this. Work to build and enhance school/club links had also not commenced.
	The information for 2002 and expectations for future years, where available, could only be broken down by region at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

Agency Annual Reports

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the (a) naval bases and Supply Agency Annual Report and Accounts for financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01, (b) RAF Logistic Support Services Annual Report and Accounts for financial years 1997–98 to 1999–2000, and (c) Ships Support Agency Annual Report and Accounts for financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01.

Adam Ingram: The Annual Report and Accounts for the Naval Bases and Supply Agency and the Ships Support Agency for financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01 have been placed in the Library of the House under classified set 942 and 685 respectively.
	The first Annual Report and Accounts for the RAF Logistics Support Services were produced for the financial year 1998–99. A copy of the report for this year is available in the Library of the House under reference number classified set 879.1.
	The RAF Logistics Support Services ceased to be a Defence Agency on 31 March 2000. For the financial year 1999–2000, the Agency was treated as a conventional management grouping by HM Treasury. No accounts direction was given by the Treasury, and accordingly the Agency did not produce a set of Annual Report and Accounts.

Army (Gulf)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the Army is deployed to the Gulf region.

Lewis Moonie: As at 6 June 2003, some 12 per cent. of the Army was deployed to the Gulf region.

Army Disbandment

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are applied in relation to the disbandment of (a) a regiment and (b) part of a regiment of the Army.

Adam Ingram: There are no predetermined criteria for disbanding or restructuring Army units. All military force structures are based on operational need given the current and future security environment in which the armed forces are likely to operate.

AWE

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the (a) personnel, (b) date and (c) purpose of the forthcoming US weapons laboratory visit to AWE.

Lewis Moonie: Visits by United States officials to AWE Aldermaston occur regularly. I am withholding specific details of such visits and their purpose in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Defence, Security and International Relations).

Cluster Munitions

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has a programme to deal with unexploded ordnance left by cluster bombs.

Adam Ingram: We have some 200 personnel in the United Kingdom area of operations in Iraq involved in the clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO), including unexploded cluster bomblets. Royal Engineers are also involved in marking and fencing of bomblet strike and mined areas as part of a coalition-wide operation. In addition, we are providing information on UK use of munitions to civilian clearance organisations to assist in achieving rapid clearance of UXO.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel are in Colombia; and under which command they operate.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 June 2003
	In addition to military personnel attached to the British Embassy in Bogota, there are a small number of other personnel providing advice and training assistance to the Columbians, the nature of which is confidential between governments. I am therefore withholding further information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (information the disclosure of which would be harmful to national security, defence or international relations).

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training facilities are offered to members of the Colombian military in (a) the UK and (b) Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 June 2003
	An invitation for a Colombian military officer to attend the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, commencing in August 2003, has been issued to the Colombian military authorities and accepted. We do, from time to time, send military liaison teams to Colombia to provide advice and training assistance. The nature of this advice and assistance is confidential between governments and I am withholding the details under Exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government Information, which covers information whose disclosure would be harmful to national security, defence or international relations.

Future Aircraft Carrier

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his top level budget holders will be expected to meet the cost of his Department's commitment to participate in the Future Aircraft Carrier programme; when he expects the financial commitment to be quantified; in which future financial years he expects it to arise; and whether he estimates that the cost of this can be contained within present long term expenditure plans without adverse effects on other programmes.

Adam Ingram: A number of TLBs within the Department will contribute to the cost of the Future Aircraft Carrier project depending on its stage in the acquisition cycle. The main Stakeholders will be the Defence Procurement Agency, Defence Logistics Organisation and Fleet.
	An estimated total cost exists for the programme but financial commitment will be only be formally quantified at the Main Gate assessment point, currently planned for early 2004. It is then planned to place the Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) contract, which, on current plans, will cover financial commitment until 2016. Funding for this project has been already been set aside within the defence budget and is allocated to the Equipment Plan in keeping with all defence equipment projects.

Warships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision to sell HMS Sheffield to Chile; and what other bids were received for HMS Sheffield.

Adam Ingram: The only formal expression of intention to purchase HMS Sheffield came from the Government of Chile.

HMS Tireless

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost and time will be to repair HMS Tireless; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It is too soon to say how long repairs will take or how much they will cost.
	HMS Tireless is currently undergoing planned routine maintenance at Devonport, and will be docked later this month to enable a full survey of the damage to be undertaken.

Iraq

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records have been kept by coalition forces on the location of cluster munitions used in Iraq; and when this information will be made available to non-governmental organisations.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 June 2003
	A detailed record of the areas where cluster munitions and other ordnance are known to have been used in Iraq, and any ordnance discovered by troops on the ground, is maintained by the coalition in theatre. The information is made available to non-governmental organisations at the Civil Military Operations Centre in Iraq and the Humanitarian Operations Centre in Kuwait.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the availability was in percentage terms of the Challenger II fleet deployed in Operation TELIC on (a) the first day of combat operations, (b) 30 April and (c) the average for the duration of combat operations in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Post operational reporting will provide analysis and assessment of the performance of equipment deployed on operations in Iraq. It would, therefore, be premature for me to provide a detailed assessment of the performance or availability of individual equipments at this stage. However, the indications are that the Challenger 2 fleet deployed on Operation TELIC was very reliable and performed impressively.

Iraq

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he is having with (a) his US counterparts and (b) other Coalition forces regarding the clearance of unexploded ordnance in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group liaises on a daily basis with their US counterparts through a Liaison Officer in the Coalition Explosive Ordnance Disposal Co-ordination Centre. The group has and will have direct liaison with all coalition Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams as they come into theatre. A Spanish EOD Group is currently carrying out demining in the Safwan area under the tactical command of British forces.

Iraq

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many qualified personnel are engaged in clearing cluster bomb type ordnance in Iraq; and how long he estimates it will take to clear them up and make these areas safe for civilians.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 510W, to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock).
	Providing a safe, secure risk-free environment for the Iraqi people is a key aspect of restoration activity for the coalition, and there is an operation currently under way to locate and mark areas contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, which also includes bomblets. United Kingdom forces, in conjunction with the Iraqi Mine Action Centre (a part of the Office of the Coalition Provisional Authority), are in the process of marking and documenting over 400 unexploded ordnance sites in the UK area of operation in southern Iraq. Once this task is complete, the process of removing unexploded ordnance will be co-ordinated by the Iraqi Mine Centre. No timescale has been set for completion of the task.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timescale is for the removal of the unexploded bomblets deposited by cluster bombs from Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Providing a safe, secure and risk free environment for the Iraqi people is a key aspect of restoration activity for the Coalition. United Kingdom forces, in conjunction with the Iraqi Mine Action Centre (a part of the Office of the Coalition Provisional Authority), are in the process of marking and documenting around 400 unexploded ordnance sites in the UK area of operation in southern Iraq, which will include unexploded cluster munition bomblets. Once this task is complete, the process of removing unexploded ordnance will be co-ordinated by the Iraqi Mine Action Centre. No time scale has been set for completion of the task.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what record the British Army has of the location of unexploded bomblets in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Force Exploded Ordnance Disposal Cell in Iraq has records of munitions, including bomblets, dropped by coalition aircraft and delivered by artillery, and are consequently aware of possible locations of unexploded bomblets that are as a result of Operation Telic. Areas of suspected mine and UXO contamination (including bomblets), of which there are over 400 in the United Kingdom area of operation, are currently being checked to provide more accurate details of potential hazards.

Machine Guns

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Minimi LMGs (light machine guns) will be procured for the armed forces; and how many Light Support Weapons will be taken out of front line service.

Adam Ingram: We are planning to procure 2,472 Minimi light machine guns. These will supplement the role fulfilled by the Light Support Weapon, all of which will remain in service.

Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus Programme

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements in capability are being examined as part of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus programme.

Adam Ingram: The Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus programme Assessment Phase is primarily investigating the most cost-effective way to sustain Merlin Mkl's multi-role capability for future operations. It will also, however, investigate the scope for focussed enhancements to improve the utility and versatility of the aircraft, particularly in surface surveillance, interoperability and survivability, building on experience in the Gulf.

Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the organisations which have had primacy of intelligence gathering operations in Northern Ireland since 1973.

Paul Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Army had lead responsibility for intelligence work in Northern Ireland from 1972 to 1976. Otherwise, the police—first the RUC and then the PSNI—have had primacy in intelligence gathering in Northern Ireland.

Porton Down

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 451W, and letter from the Chief Executive of DERA, dated 22 July 1998, what factors have led to changes in numbers of procedures on animals at Porton Down since 1993; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The variations in the number of procedures returned annually to the Home Office by Dstl Porton Down in the years 1993 to 2002 reflects the changes in the research programme as determined by the requirements of the Ministry of Defence.
	Over the last nine years the increase in the overall number of animal procedures returned is mainly accounted for by the increase in the number of mice used. This is a direct result of an increased emphasis on research to develop effective vaccines and other medical countermeasures against biological agents. The programme is progressing well. One new vaccine is already in clinical trails and another is expected to start trials later this year.

Procurement

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated in-service date is for the (a) PAAMS, (b) A400M, (c) COBRA and (d) MRAV; what the original in-service date was of each; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The information requested is shown below:
	
		
			 Project Current Forecast ISD Original Approved ISD 
		
		
			 PAAMS 2007 2007 
			 COBRA 2004 1993 
			 MRAV (14)2008 2011 
			 A400M 2011 2009 
		
	
	(14) The ISD for MRAV is currently under review.

Propellants

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the security of supply for propellants for the British armed forces.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 June 2003
	In 1999, the House of Commons Defence Select Committee (HCDC) examined security of supply of propellants as part of its inquiry into the proposed closure of Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD) Bishopton for commercial reasons. The Committee accepted that there were no strategic or defence reasons for the retention of ROD Bishopton. The subsequent review by the National Audit Office of the analysis underpinning the evidence presented by the Ministry of Defence of the HCDC concluded that this remained sound. Security of supply is taken into account when competing all requirements for ammunition including the propellant component; this is an integral part of the vetting process before tenders are progressed. In the event of bids being received from manufacturers or countries that could pose potential risk to security of supply, then these are discounted before the tender process is taken forward.

RAF Training Sorties

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF training sorties were undertaken in (a) Scottish and (b) UK airspace during each of the last 12 months.

Lewis Moonie: Information on the geographical location of training sorties flown over the United Kingdom or Scotland is not recorded separately. To produce an estimate of the number of sorties undertaken in UK airspace, details of overseas sorties have been removed from statistics which show the total number of all training sorties flown.
	
		
			 Month Sorties originated in UK Airspace 
		
		
			 April 2002 15,788 
			 May 2002 17,579 
			 June 2002 14,562 
			 July 2002 17,204 
			 August 2002 15,649 
			 September 2002 17,835 
			 October 2002 17,333 
			 November 2002 13,726 
			 December 2002 10,327 
			 January 2003 13,300 
			 February 2003 13,556 
			 March 2003 14,363 
		
	
	Note
	Includes fixed and rotary wing RAF aircraft

Scientific Exchanges

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific exchanges there were in 2002 between UKAWES and US weapons laboratories.

Lewis Moonie: In 2002 there were 182 visits by Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) staff to the United States and 103 visits by US officials to AWE.

SOMCHEM-designed Modular Charge System

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the (a) financial and (b) operational consequences are of failure of the SOMCHEM-designed modular charge system to meet the performance specification;
	(2)  for what reason the SOMCHEM-designed modular charge system has not met the performance specification;
	(3)  whether his Department plans to purchase the German Rheinmetall W and M modular propellant charge system.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 June 2003
	The Defence Procurement Agency is working closely with Royal Ordnance Defence, the prime contractor for the Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System project, to address technical problems which are delaying programme delivery. The Somchem-designed modular charge system has contributed to these problems, and the resulting programme, financial and operational implications are currently under review. Although Rheinmetall offers an alternative modular charge system, this is unlikely to meet Ministry of Defence requirements, and there are therefore no plans at present to procure such a system.

Sri Lanka

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total value of arms sales originating from the UK to the Sri Lankan government in each of the past five years.

Adam Ingram: The value of licences issued and actual goods exported to individual countries has, since 1999, been published in the Government's Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of these reports are available from the Library of the House and via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk. The value of goods exported in 1998 was £1 million. Figures for 2002 are currently being collated for the Report to be published later this year.

Strategic Tanker Programme

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the strategic tanker programme.

Adam Ingram: The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft is planned to replace our VC10 and TriStar Air Refuelling aircraft towards the end of the decade. Final bids for this prospective PFI programme were received on 30 April 2003 and our assessment is underway.

Strategic Tanker Programme

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the UK forces' requirements in relation to the strategic tanker programme.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom Forces' future requirements for fast jet and large aircraft refuelling are planned to be met by the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA). FSTA is currently in its assessment phase which includes assessment of the requirements.
	Final bids for this programme were received on 30 April 2003 and they are currently being assessed.

UN Personnel (Congo)

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UN personnel are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; how many more are due to be sent there; and under whose command they will operate.

Adam Ingram: The information is not readily available in the format requested. However, the UN Security General's report on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) dated 27 May, outlined a current mandate of 7,800 personnel and requested an increase to 10,800 in the coming months, to facilitate the additional requirement in Ituri.
	In addition the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1484 of 30 May authorised an Interim Emergency Multinational Force to help stabilise the situation in the town of Bunia in Ituri, pending the deployment of additional forces by the UN. This should be an ESDP operation with France as framework nation.

US Weapons Research

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent meeting between the UK and US nuclear weapon scientists referred to as Stocktake.

Lewis Moonie: The 3 to 4 June 2003 Stocktake was the latest of a long-running series of review meetings between senior officials to discuss co-operation under the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement and, as usual, included a short visit to the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston.

Weapons Policy

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's policy is on (a) resuming underground nuclear tests and (b) research into weapons under five kilotons.

Adam Ingram: We have signed, ratified and continue strongly to support the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We have no plans to resume nuclear weapon test explosions. We are not planning any new nuclear weapons, nor are we modifying current systems to lower their yield. We maintain a research capability to ensure the safety of our existing stockpile and to support the policy set out in the Strategic Defence Review of maintaining a minimum capability to design and produce a successor to Trident should this prove necessary.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total value was of funding allocated to the reduction of opium poppy output in Afghanistan in each of the last three years; and what proportion came from (a) UK funds, (b) EU funds and (c) other sources.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 10 June 2003
	The total cost of reducing drugs production cannot be clearly separated from broader development programmes, as development assistance helps to create the conditions in which viable alternatives to poppy cultivation can emerge.
	The Tokyo Reconstruction Conference for Afghanistan was held in January 2002. At the conference, a total of £2.7 billion was pledged over five years for development, of which the UK pledged £200 million and the EU pledged £700 million.
	There was no UK assistance in either 2000 or 2001 when the Taliban were in power. In 2002, the UK disbursed £70 million on development assistance in Afghanistan and £24 million on law enforcement. The EU spent £200 million on development assistance. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime spent £5 million on programme activity.

Asbestos

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the actions his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are taking to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; whether he has made an estimate of the cost of compliance; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The FCO maintains an asbestos register, based on the HSE's recommended "Type 2" non-destructive surveys, for all buildings on its UK estate and, through its facilities managers and accredited subcontractors, inspects buildings for asbestos containing materials (ACMs). Where such materials are identified we institute Standard Operating Procedures to ensure that future operations are carried out within the requirements of the Regulations. The cost of compliance to date has been £81,500.
	Overseas, we have for many years maintained registers of known or suspected ACMs on our estate identified through building works and property inspections. We intend to survey and produce management plans as prescribed by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. We have recently completed pilot trials in five Eastern European Posts where workplaces and domestic accommodation were surveyed. The objective of the pilot exercise is to refine the scope of the surveys, estimate costs and develop a prioritised programme for the rest of the overseas estate.

Botswana

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to encourage the diamond industry and government of Botswana to respect the human rights of the Gwi and Gana Bushmen.

Bill Rammell: We discuss regularly with the Government of Botswana issues relating to the Basarwa (Bushmen). The Government of Botswana assure us that their policy towards the Basarwa is totally unconnected to the issue of diamond mining.

Burma

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the extent of production of illegal drugs in Burma for distribution in other countries.

Mike O'Brien: Burma is believed to be the world's number one producer and trafficker of methamphetamine and the world's second largest producer and trafficker of heroin. Although there has been some progress on counter-narcotics fronts, these drugs continue to flow over the borders with China and Thailand. Outside of these countries there is believed to be wide distribution to the US, Australia and many other countries in South East Asia. We have no evidence to suggest there is any distribution to the UK.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department's vote in the Council of Ministers against a legislative proposal (a) was and (b) was not sufficient to achieve with other member states a blocking minority.

Denis MacShane: There have been no EU legislative proposals concerning foreign policy since 1997.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department abstained in the Council of Ministers on a legislative proposal which was passed by qualified majority voting.

Denis MacShane: None.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department has been outvoted by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers; and if he will list the legislation by year.

Denis MacShane: None. There have been no EU legislative proposals concerning foreign policy since 1997. The Department has therefore not been outvoted on any such proposal since that time.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Denis MacShane: There have been no EU legislative proposals concerning foreign policy since 1997.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent events in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bill Rammell: We remain concerned by the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly the humanitarian crisis in the north-eastern Ituri region. An Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) has been mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1484 to contribute to the stabilisation of the security conditions and the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Bunia. The UK has undertaken to participate in the IEMF.

EU Draft Constitution

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is covered by the marine resources of the sea allocated to the exclusive competence of the EU by the draft EU constitution.

Denis MacShane: "The conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy", is allocated to the exclusive competence of the EU by the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. This concept is set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy, which provides, inter alia, for "coherent measures concerning conservation, management and exploitation of living aquatic resources."
	"Living aquatic resources" is further defined as "available and accessible living marine aquatic species, including anadromous (those that migrate up rivers from the sea to breed) and catadromous (those that migrate down rivers to the sea to breed) species during their marine life."

G8 Global Partnership

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the Government has collated on the numbers of (a) physical attacks against women and (b) politically motivated physical attacks (i) this year and (ii) last year in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Government do not collate figures on the numbers of physical attacks against women, or politically motivated physical attacks, in Afghanistan. Nor have we been able to find comprehensive figures collated by other agencies or organisations. We are, however, aware of a number of incidents, including attacks on girls' schools in Afghanistan. We are also aware of a number of politically motivated attacks, including in the run up to the Emergency Loya Jirga in June 2002. We condemn all such attacks.
	Security is essential to improve the quality of life for all Afghans. The UK is committed to assisting the Afghan Government to improve security throughout the country. We have pledged £52 million over three years towards security sector reform, including building a national police force. On 8 May the Secretary of State for Defence announced to Parliament that the UK will deploy a Civil-Military Provincial Reconstruction Team to Mazar-e-Sharif in July. This should help to improve security in north-western Afghanistan, and thereby facilitate security sector reform and reconstruction. We hope it will also facilitate an improvement in the human rights environment.

Prisoner Transfer Agreements (US)

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations have taken place about the setting up of a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with the US; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (CECTSP) is a multilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement which currently has 52 contracting member countries. The United Kingdom acceded to the Convention (CECTSP) in 1985. On 21 March 1983 the United States signed the CECTSP and following ratification procedures, US accession to the treaty also came into force on 1 July 1985.
	The CECTSP allows prisoners to apply to transfer to serve the remainder of their sentence in their home country. Seven US states have not signed up to the CECTSP; but the US federal Government has said publicly that it is encouraging these states to do so. Therefore, there is no practical need for the UK to negotiate an additional bilateral Agreement with the US.

Indonesia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature and cost of bilateral military co-operation between the UK and Indonesia, including the training and education of military and police personnel, in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: Since 2000 all UK bilateral military assistance with Indonesia has been conducted through the UK Security Sector Reform Strategy for Indonesia. This strategy commenced in March 2001 and is a 3-year, £2.5 million programme funded by the MOD, DFID and FCO through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. Assistance under this strategy is targeted at helping the Indonesian security services become more professional, accountable, transparent and democratic. Projects undertaken so far include human rights training for the Indonesian military through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); support to establish a democratic framework for policing; and support to help Indonesia move towards a system for civilian authorisation of Rules of Engagement along UK lines.
	I refer my hon. Friend also to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 436W.

Diamond Smuggling

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role Britain is playing in efforts to detect and prevent international diamond smuggling.

Bill Rammell: The European Community is a participant in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, an international agreement initiated by the UK and others, which regulates the international rough diamond trade in order to deal with the threat posed by conflict diamonds. Rough diamonds not accompanied by the appropriate certificate are now classified as prohibited goods in the UK.
	The scheme is complemented by a voluntary system of self-regulation implemented by industry, which also covers the cut and polished sector.

Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total UK non-military expenditure in Iraq is since the cessation of hostilities.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 June 2003
	We have so far allocated £240 million for humanitarian assistance in Iraq since the cessation of hostilities. Actual DfID disbursements to Iraq to date total £85 million. A further £60 million was set aside on 9 April 2003 for Departments to use if needed.

Iraq

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Christian community in Iraq; and what plans he has put in place to ensure that that community plays a full part in the rebuilding of the country.

Mike O'Brien: There have been numerous meetings between FCO officials, including the UK Representative to Iraq, John Sawers, and members of the Iraqi Christian community. Representatives of the community are participating in the on-going dialogue between Iraqi groups, the Coalition Provisional Authority and the UN Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, on the future Iraqi Administration.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the reports by (a) UNSCOM and (b) UNMOVIC which demonstrated Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction since 1991.

Mike O'Brien: Published reports from UNSCOM and UNMOVIC are listed and available for viewing on the United Nations' internet website www.un.org.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Minister for Europe has to visit Gibraltar.

Denis MacShane: I hope to visit Gibraltar in due course.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Buckingham Palace regarding a potential visit to Gibraltar by Her Majesty the Queen.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no such discussions.

Paper Supplies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 357W, on paper supplies, whether any of the paper or paper products supplied to his Department by Premier Paper are supplied by Stora Enso's Veitsiluoto Mill in Finland; and what assessment he has made of whether this paper contains timber from (a) old growth forests and (b) timber that may have been logged illegally in Russia.

Bill Rammell: None of the paper or paper products supplied to the FCO by Premier Paper are supplied by Stora Enso's Veitsiluoto Mill in Finland.

Representation of Women

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the representation of women at all levels of government in each Commonwealth country since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The 1991 Harare Declaration identified as a priority for the Commonwealth "equality for women so that they may exercise their full and equal rights". And at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1997 the Heads of Government set a target of no less than 30 per cent. of women in decision making in the political, public and private sectors by 2005. In a presentation to the Sixth Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministerial Meeting in 2000, The Gambia was the only country which so far exceeded the 30 per cent. target of women in Cabinet, while South Africa was the only country with more than 30 per cent. of women in Parliament. In local government positions, Seychelles, Uganda, India and Canada exceeded this target. A questionnaire exercise is to be repeated for the next Women's Affairs Ministerial in 2004. The Commonwealth Secretariat continues to devote a major part of its budget to building capacity and providing practical assistance to women, which includes increasing their political participation and decision making. Its gender section works with governments, parliamentarians and civil society to achieve the Commonwealth target.

Sudan (Shariah Law)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on the application of the shariah law to juveniles; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our embassy in Khartoum regularly raises cases concerning juveniles and other human rights cases, with the Government of Sudan. Most recently this has included the case of juveniles sentenced to death in Darfur and the sentence of lashings given to a 14-year-old girl convicted of adultery. As part of a recent DFID review of the Justice sector in the North of Sudan, experts on law enforcement, good governance and human rights and shariah raised many issues with the Government of Sudan including the application of shariah and criminal law to juveniles. This review will help to inform HMG's development policy in Sudan and ensure that human rights is a key element of that policy.

UN Decolonisation Committee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the British Government made to the recent meeting of the UN Decolonisation Committee in Anguilla.

Denis MacShane: We made clear at the seminar that the agreement of the British and Anguillian governments that the Decolonisation Committee (C24) annual seminar could take place in Anguilla does not represent a change in HMG's policy of informal co-operation with the Committee. We took the opportunity to update the Chairman and members of the C24 on developments in our relations with the Overseas Territories (OTs) since publication of the 1999 White Paper, and in particular the process of constitutional modernisation. We invited the Committee to take account of the extent to which most UK OTs are democratically governed and economically vibrant in their deliberations on whether some of the Territories might soon be removed from the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

UN Decolonisation Committee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for the remaining British colonies resulting from the recent meeting of the UN Decolonisation Committee in Anguilla.

Denis MacShane: We await the formal conclusions of the UN seminar, which have to be approved by the Committee of 24 meeting in plenary.

UN Decolonisation Committee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the UN Decolonisation Committee in Anguilla.

Denis MacShane: The UN Special Committee on De-Colonisation, known as C24, holds an annual seminar which alternates between the Pacific and Caribbean Regions. This year's seminar (20–22 May) was held in Anguilla and focussed on advancing the de-colonisation process in the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda. Anguilla is one often British Territories on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The Anguilla seminar was attended by Chief Ministers and senior representatives of several of the Territories on the UN list and by invited experts and NGOs. The conclusions of the seminar, when finalised and approved by the C24, will be published as a UN document.

Visas

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many family visit visa applications were (a) received, (b) determined and (c) refused in each month since 1 January.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Family visitor applications received Family visitor applications determined Family visitor applications refused 
		
		
			 January 19,013 18,182 4,995 
			 February 16,972 18,207 4,908 
			 March 22,223 18,238 5,347 
		
	
	The table shows the number of family visitor applications received, determined and refused at our visa issuing posts world wide for the period January to March 2003. The figures for April and May are currently being collated and are not yet available. Those family visitor applications which have been 'determined' are those which have been resolved, either refused or granted entry clearance.
	My hon. Friend may find apparent discrepancies in the figures—for example in February 16,972 applications were received but 18,207 applications were resolved. This can be caused by a variety of reasons. Applications can be carried forward from one year to another before being resolved. Applications may be withdrawn during processing (but still count as an application received). Posts are also required to count all applications received (a mother and three children on one passport may count as four applications but only one entry clearance may be issued).

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Poverty

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether statistics on child poverty include the children of asylum seekers.

Malcolm Wicks: Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of people's lives. The fourth annual "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 5598), published in September 2002, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the range of indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	The indicators used to monitor progress for children and young people cover a variety of domains. Whether statistics of child poverty include the children of asylum seekers depends on the source of the statistics. Statistics relating to income, housing, post-16 education and (parents') employment will include the children of asylum seekers if they are living in private households and have responded to the relevant survey. Similarly, statistics on smoking during pregnancy and among children aged 11 to 15 include all those who responded to the relevant surveys. Those relating to compulsory education include all children who attend a mainstream school with over ten pupils. Those relating to Sure Start areas, births, deaths and injuries relate to all children. Figures relating to local authority care and the Child Protection Register will cover all children affected.
	In summary, the indicators for children and young people monitored in "Opportunity for all" do include the children of asylum seekers where possible. However the ability to specify results for these children is limited by a number of factors: asylum seekers are not normally identified separately in such surveys; their characteristics may mean that they are less likely to be sampled or to respond to surveys; and they will in most statistical instruments represent too small a population to provide robust estimates.
	"Opportunity for all" is available in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are on incapacity benefit in (a) Bassetlaw constituency and (b) England.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		People receiving Incapacity Benefit in England and the parliamentary constituency of Bassetlaw at 3CT November 2002
		
			  People claiming Incapacity Benefit 
		
		
			 Bassetlaw 3,500 
			 England 1,172,100 
		
	
	Notes:1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.2. Figures exclude people receiving National Insurance credits only.Source:
	5 per cent. sample of the Incapacity Benefit computer system, which excludes a small number of cases held clerically.

Council Tax Benefit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Scotland are in receipt of council tax benefit, broken down by local authority.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the table.
	
		Council Tax Benefit recipients in Scotland by local authority—November 2002
		
			 Local Authority Council Tax Benefit Recipients 
		
		
			 Aberdeen 16,580 
			 Aberdeenshire 11,600 
			 Angus 7,540 
			 Argyll and Bute 7,780 
			 Clackmannanshire 5,310 
			 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 2,970 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 12,400 
			 Dundee 21,090 
			 East Ayrshire 13,640 
			 East Dunbartonshire 5,720 
			 East Lothian 7,190 
			 East Renfrewshire 4,790 
			 Edinburgh 38,510 
			 Falkirk 14,290 
			 Fife 32,670 
			 Glasgow 108,370 
			 Highland 16,950 
			 Inverclyde 10,900 
			 Midlothian 6,440 
			 Moray 5,500 
			 North Ayrshire 15,090 
			 North Lanarkshire 39,940 
			 Orkney 1,240 
			 Perth and Kinross 8,490 
			 Renfrewshire 19,410 
			 Scottish Borders 8,240 
			 Shetland 1,120 
			 South Ayrshire 10,500 
			 South Lanarkshire 36,040 
			 Stirling 6,490 
			 West Dunbartonshire 14,150 
			 West Lothian 14,730 
			   
			 Total 526,000 
		
	
	Notes
	1. The data refer to households claiming Council Tax Benefit which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
	2. Local authority figures are rounded to the nearest 10; the total for Scotland is rounded to the nearest thousand. Figures do not sum due to rounding.
	3. The totals include estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.
	4. Figures exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	Source
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly statistical enquiry, November 2002.

Crown Immunity

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to bring forward legislation to remove Crown immunity in respect of health and safety offences committed by Government Departments.

Nick Brown: The Government stand by their commitment to remove Crown immunity from statutory health and safety enforcement and will seek a legislative opportunity, when parliamentary time allows.
	In the meantime the Health and Safety Executive continues to enforce health and safety requirements in Crown bodies and applies the Crown censure procedure, where but for Crown immunity, prosecution would have been justified.

Disabled People

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to make public funds available to assist disabled people taking up public appointments (a) through the Access to Work Scheme and (b) through other mechanisms.

Maria Eagle: Our first priority is to help those without jobs into paid work. Jobcentre Plus has a wide range of support that would be available to disabled people who wish to take up paid employment, whether full or part time, including some public appointments. Access to Work, for example, helps disabled people who require extra support to overcome work-related obstacles resulting from disability. For public appointments which are not paid employment, help from Jobcentre Plus would not be appropriate.
	We recognise the benefits that diversity brings to public appointments, and the Commissioner for Public Appointments provides guidance which states that care must be taken when making appointments not to discriminate on the grounds of disability and to ensure that positive action is taken wherever possible to attract suitable candidates. In addition, the Disability Rights Commission, which is sponsored by this Department, will continue to work closely with the relevant unit in the Cabinet Office, and disabled people, with the aim of increasing the proportion of public appointments held by disabled people.

Identity Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance accounts the (a) National Insurance Integrity Programme and (b) National Insurance Work Programme identified as inactive, broken down by category, in each year since they were established.

Malcolm Wicks: The National Insurance Integrity Programme was superseded in mid-2000 by Personal Account Security, now known as the National Insurance Number (NINO) Allocation Project. The NINO Allocation Project has responsibility for taking forward the Departmental for Work and Pensions National Insurance Work Programme.
	The overall stock of NINOs is 71.5 million; 49 million of these accounts are active. The NINO Allocation Project has identified a total of 14 million accounts as deceased records. Of the remaining 8.5 million records, analysis has taken place and we have concluded that 6.7 million of these records are not being used because either they are deceased records or the customers have gone abroad. The remaining cases have all been dormant for over 3 years and we are currently looking at ways to police these accounts in future.

Health and Safety

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the progress being made by his Department in establishing the Incident Contact Centre.

Nick Brown: holding answer 9 June 2003
	The Incident Contact Centre (ICC) was successfully launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in April 2001 to process all statutory reports notified under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
	HSE established the ICC as part of the Government's e-programme.
	There has been a continued positive shift towards electronic reporting since the service was launched. The number of reports received by post has dropped from over 80 per cent. at the beginning to around 40 per cent. now, with a corresponding increase in the number of telephone reports from less than 10 per cent. initially to 25 per cent. in April 2003.

Income Support

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of income support.

Malcolm Wicks: Income support statistics are published in the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries. These are available in the Library.

Work-related Deaths and Injuries

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) work-related deaths and (b) serious injuries have occurred in the Bolton, South-East parliamentary constituency in each of the last 10 years; and how many prosecutions there have been as a result.

Nick Brown: The number of work-related deaths and major injuries reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the Metropolitan borough of Bolton since 1996–97, and the numbers of prosecutions by HSE as a result, are as follows:
	
		Table 1
		
			 Year(15) Work-related deaths Separate offences prosecuted Major injuries Separate offences prosecuted 
		
		
			 1996–97 2 1 330 —  
			 1997–98 1 1 192 1 
			 1998–99 1 — 138 —  
			 1999–2000 2 — 116 3 
			 2000–01 1 — 100 —  
			 2001–02 2 — 152 —  
		
	
	The number of (a) work-related deaths and (b) major injuries reported to Bolton metropolitan borough council since 1996–97, and the total number of health and safety at work prosecutions by the council each year are as follows:
	
		Table 2
		
			 Year(15) Work-related deaths Major injuries Separate offences prosecuted (all health and safety offences)(16) 
		
		
			 1996–97 — 90 3 
			 1997–98 — 56 6 
			 1998–99 — 65 3 
			 1999–2000 — 82 9 
			 2000–01 — 50 4 
			 2001–02 2 60 Not yet available 
		
	
	(15) The annual basis is the planning year from 1 April to 31 March.
	(16) Figures for offences prosecuted specifically following death or major injury are not available except at disproportionate cost.
	Information at constituency level is not available. Information in answer to this question for the years before 1996–97 is not available except at disproportionate cost.

Work-related Stress Disorder

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were diagnosed with work-related stress disorder making them unable to work for a longer period of time in (a) 1990, (b) 1995, (c) 2000 and (d) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: We are not able to supply the information in the format requested. Information on cases diagnosed (by consultant psychiatrists or specialist occupational physicians) of anxiety, depression and other stress related ill health is available for 1999, 2000, and 2001 from the Health and Safety Executive's Occupational Diseases Surveillance Scheme (ODIN).
	
		
			  Newly diagnosed cases of anxiety, depression and other stress related ill health (in a 12 month period) (ODIN)(17) 
		
		
			 1990 Not available 
			 1995 Not available 
			 1998–99 Not available 
			 1999 5,523 
			 2000 6,327 
			 2001 6,735 
			 2001–02 Not available 
		
	
	(17) The ODIN surveillance system covers work-related mental ill-health as reported by Occupational Physicians and Psychiatrists. For the purposes of measuring Work- related Stress, cases diagnosed as "Anxiety/Depression" and "Other Work-related Stress" are used.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Claims Factories

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will conduct an inquiry into the operations of claims factories.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are keeping under review the operation of the claims management market and are working with a range of organisations including the Law Society to encourage high and common standards in accident compensation. Claims management companies can provide an efficient and affordable means of handling claims for compensation and provide access to justice to people who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Those who provide the services which claims management companies organise are regulated by a range of bodies, including the Law Society, the General Council of the Bar, the Financial Services Authority and the General Insurance Standards Council. The Government have undertaken to set up a review of the regulatory framework for legal services the exact parameters of which will be announced before the summer break.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The number of staff employed in my Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit, at 1 April of the last two years, is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002–03 2 
			 2003–04 2 
		
	
	These numbers are of substantive civil servants only and exclude the temporary agency and contract staff who may have worked in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit over this period. The Ministerial Correspondence Unit currently employs one temporary agency staff/member.

Departmental Underspend

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to reduce the Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

Rosie Winterton: My Department is currently expecting to spend under 1 per cent. less than its 2002–03 Resource Estimate. This outturn position is provisional.
	Planned spending for 2003–04 is set out in the Departmental Report 2001–02 CM5408, Table A1: Public Spending, page 94.

Legal Aid (Northern Ireland)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of civil legal aid claimants in Northern Ireland (a) were successful, (b) were unsuccessful and (c) settled in 2002.

Rosie Winterton: In Northern Ireland 23,106 civil legal aid cases were closed during 2002. Of these:
	26.0 per cent. (5,999) were successful;
	14.4 per cent. (3,329) were unsuccessful;
	45.5 per cent. (10,525) were settled; and
	14.1 per cent. (3,253) were withdrawn

Legal Aid (Northern Ireland)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many civil legal aid applications were made in Northern Ireland in 2002; and how many were granted.

Rosie Winterton: During 2002, 14,032 civil legal aid applications were received and 11,481 civil legal aid certificates were granted in Northern Ireland.

Legal Aid (Northern Ireland)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many criminal legal aid applications were made in Northern Ireland in 2002; and how many were granted.

Rosie Winterton: During 2002, 21,125 applications for criminal legal aid were made and 20,364 criminal legal aid certificates were granted in Northern Ireland.

Legal Services Commission

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the budget allocated to the Legal Services Commission was in 2003–04; and what the corresponding figures were in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.

Rosie Winterton: For the financial years from 1999to 2001 the respective annual budget allocations to the Legal Services Commission for legal aid were:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,200 
			 2000–01 1,248 
			 2001–02 1,219 
		
	
	The figures do not include the amounts allocated to criminal cases in the higher courts. For the corresponding years the funds made available for criminal cases in the higher courts were:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 412 
			 2000–01 435 
			 2001–02 474 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures are described in cash terms.
	The annual budget allocation to the Legal Services Commission for legal aid in 2003–04 is £1,726 million. This now includes legal aid for cases in the higher criminal courts. It does not, however, include resources for immigration/asylum matters, which are now to be included in a separate, single asylum fund. Resources for that budget are yet to be finalised.
	In line with changes in Government accounting this amount is described in terms of resources, which differs from cash in that resources are accounted for as and when they are consumed rather than when they are paid for.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Asylum Seekers

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many asylum seekers are housed by the local authorities in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) Hull; and how many were housed by each in each month of the last two quarters for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is not available in the form requested.
	The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
	Information on outstanding asylum cases, initial decision outcomes and asylum case processing times relating to persons in particular areas of the UK is unavailable as are statistics regarding the location of asylum seekers not in receipt of support.
	NASS does not disperse asylum seekers to any areas in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) accommodated by NASS and receiving subsistence only support in Hull as at the end of each quarter since June 2002 1 :
	
		
			 As at end of quarter Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in Hull Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) receiving subsistence only support in Hull(19) 
		
		
			 June 2002 995 (20)— 
			 September 2002 995 (20)— 
			 December 2002 1,010 35 
			 March 2003 940 50 
		
	
	(18) Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. These figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.
	(19) Figures on the location of cases receiving subsistence only support only became available below regional level from December 2002.
	(20) Figures for subsistence only cases by Local Authority are only available from December 2002.
	From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of March 2003, there were the following additional number 4 of asylum seekers being supported by the local authorities in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire: (Asylum seekers are not necessarily resident in the Local Authority that supports them due to the voluntary dispersal programme which operated prior to NASS).
	
		
			 Local Authority Number of singles supported as at end March 2003 Number of families supported as at end of March 2003 
		
		
			 East Riding 5 0 
			 Hull 20 5 
		
	
	Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1 .html
	4 Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. These figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.

Banking Services

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking through the work of the (a) Social Exclusion Unit and (b) Neighbourhood Renewal Unit to ensure that banking services, including ATMs, are available and accessible to all sectors of the community.

Barbara Roche: The Social Exclusion Unit examined the issue of access to financial services in deprived areas in Policy Action Team 14 (led by Her Majesty's Treasury), within the framework of the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. Much of the current work across Government on areas such as credit unions, basic bank accounts and universal banking services results from this work.
	Within the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal, a £15 million Deprived Urban Post Office Fund was established (Commitment 15), managed by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, that operates to help keep post offices open in England's most deprived urban areas. Post offices are often the only accessible financial service in the most deprived communities and they are used disproportionately by the more disadvantaged members of society, including those on low incomes and by the elderly.
	The Post Office network now also offers access to basic bank accounts through the Universal Banking Services (Commitment 13), which are being promoted by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Post Office. These services will give an important boost to financial inclusion as they will help to give the estimated 3.5 million adults in the UK currently without bank accounts access to them.

Homeless People

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many single (a) women and (b) men were housed in bed and breakfasts (i) in each of the last five years for which figures exist and (ii) on 1 April 2003.

Barbara Roche: Estimates of the type of homeless household in bed and breakfast accommodation have only been made from 31 March 2001. The available estimates for the number of single homeless women and men in bed and breakfast accommodation in England is shown in the following table:
	
		Estimate of number of single homeless women and men in bed and breakfast accommodation in England
		
			  Women Men 
		
		
			  
			  
			 31 March 2001 1,520 3,250 
			 31 March 2002 1,760 3,430 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for March 2002 include hotel annexe accommodation where some or all basic facilities are shared.
	Source:
	ODPM P1(E) Annual Supplement housing return

Homeless People

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what funds were made available for Castle Point borough council to eradicate bed and breakfast housing for families by 31 March.

Barbara Roche: Castle Point borough council has been allocated £25,000 in 200304 specifically to help the authority reduce the number of homeless families with children in Bed and Breakfast hotels (B&B). This is in addition to the £20,000 allocated to the authority by the Homelessness Directorate to assist the council deliver an effective homelessness service including meeting the national commitment of ensuring that by March 2004, no homeless family with children is placed in B&B other than in an emergency and even then for no more than six weeks.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Anne Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate how much extra grant would have been gained by Cambridgeshire in 2003–04 if an additional 1,000 pensioners in the county received the minimum income guarantee.

Nick Raynsford: The number of pensioners receiving the minimum income guarantee is not a factor in distributing formula grant to councils, so Cambridgeshire's settlement for 2003–04 would be not be affected.

Social Housing

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new social houses are planned to be built in each of the next five years in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Tony McNulty: This information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Housing

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many social houses were built in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1992.

Tony McNulty: The numbers of social houses (registered social landlord and local authority) reported by the local authority to have been built in Shrewsbury and Atcham are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1992 0 
			 1993 20 
			 1994 21 
			 1995 36 
			 1996 24 
			 1997 0 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 2 
			 2000 15 
			 2001 26 
			 2002 4

Telephone Masts

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions in each of the last five calendar years for which figures are available the failure of a local authority to issue a refusal within the 42-day notification period for the erection of mobile telephone masts has been the subject of a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman; how many complaints have been upheld; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Local Government Ombudsman's Office does not record the number of complaints received by subject matter to the level of detail requested, this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, they have issued three reports following complaints where a local authority has failed to comment on a telecommunications development within the time period allowed at the time the proposal was received. The details are provided as follows:
	
		
			 Year LGO Reports issuedfollowing a complaint 
		
		
			 2001 November—Dacorum 
			 2002 July—Swindon 
			  July—Blyth Valley

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency (Child Transit)

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Department recommends a minimum (a) distance and (b) travel time for the safe transit of children to a NHS accident and emergency unit.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health does not recommend a minimum distance and travel time for children attending an accident and emergency unit. This will be subject to clinical judgement and local circumstances. Children need access to the closest unit which offers appropriate initial assessment and treatment. Where there is need for paediatric intensive care or other specialist intervention following the child's resuscitation and stabilisation, then onward transfer to a unit specialising in this form of care, and offering the best achievable outcome for the child, will be arranged.

Dementia

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve respite care and other facilities to support patients with dementia under the age of 65 in the community.

Jacqui Smith: The majority of people with dementia are cared for at home, which can be a very demanding and exhausting task for their carers. Their carers are entitled to an assessment to determine their needs as carers and eligibility for support. The carers grant, worth £100 million this year, provides money for local councils to provide short breaks and services for carers to enable them to continue in their caring role. Carers are also entitled to cash payments for carers' services to enable them to purchase the type of support they require and promote a better quality of life.

Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 966–67W, on dentistry, what research he has commissioned on the long term effects of people being unable to access non-urgent oral health services; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: No specific research has been commissioned on the long-term effects of people being unable to access non-urgent oral health services.
	The Health Technology Assessment Programme has recently published a systematic review and economic evaluation of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of routine dental checks. It concluded that more work needed to be done on this area. A copy of this has been placed in the Library.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been asked to prepare guidance for the national health service in England and Wales on the clinical and cost effectiveness of the six month recall period for individual patients at an interval based on the risk from oral disease.

Osteoporosis

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many osteoporosis (a) units and (b) nurses there are; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally.
	A range of professionals across a number of specialties are involved in providing treatment for osteoporosis in both primary and secondary care settings.
	Many of these health professionals will deal with osteoporosis alongside other conditions. It is therefore not possible to identify either specific units or exact numbers of professionals involved.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the advice by the Chief Medical Officer on whether SARS should be made a notifiable disease.

Hazel Blears: Under Paragraph 4 for the Code of Practice on Open Government, internal documents are not routinely published.
	Based on information from the World Health Organisation, the Chief Medical Officer recommended that making severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) a notifiable disease from the outset, would slow down the reporting of probable cases at a critical time. Moreover, there was nothing to suggest that people with possible SARS or their contacts would set out to reject medical help and advice and thus require compulsory detention. This is however, an evolving situation and this policy is kept under constant review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Motoring Convictions

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists have been convicted in the last 12 months for which figures are available for misuse of or breach of the restrictions surrounding the use of flashing amber beacons.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office Court Proceedings Database for England and Wales does not separately identify offences associated with the misuse or breach of flashing amber beacons from other summary motoring lighting offences.

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he applies when deciding the form a Government investigation should take into allegations that the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate has failed to fulfil its role properly in relation to a particular establishment.

Bob Ainsworth: There are no set criteria, as the handling of such allegations against the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate must be determined in the light of the particular circumstances of each case. I must reserve the right on each occasion to commission whatever form of investigation seems to be most appropriate.
	I should add that the Government has confidence in the integrity and high professional standards of the Inspectorate, and in the rigorous way the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is administered and enforced.

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of animals used in scientific procedures.

Bob Ainsworth: Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 the Home Office can only license the use of animals for scientific purposes where there is no non-animal alternative, and then only when both the number of animals and their suffering is minimised. This reflects the principles of the 3Rs—replacement, reduction and refinement.
	As a regulator the Home Office has no control over the number of project licence applications which it receives. While therefore we must seek to minimise the number of animals used in particular programmes of work, the Home Office cannot influence the overall amount of animal research and testing which takes place—that is determined by many other factors, including the economic climate and global trends in scientific endeavour.
	Although scientific activity has increased dramatically since the 1986 Act was introduced, technical progress with development and adoption of 3Rs strategies has resulted in an overall reduction in the number of animals used each year over the same period. There are, however, current developments—such as advances in the use that can be made of genetically modified animals, and the proposed European chemical testing strategy—which may in coming years reverse that trend and lead to more rather than fewer animals being used.
	The Government fully supports and encourages development and promotion of the 3Rs in a number of ways, and additional impetus has been given to its efforts to that end by the related recommendations recently put forward by the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures. One of those recommendations—that there should be a centre for the 3Rs—is now being considered by the Inter-Departmental Group on the 3Rs, which is also reviewing the effectiveness of the Inter-Departmental Datasharing Concordat.
	This is not however an area where quick gains can be expected. In the longer term we must rely for any further significant reduction in animal use largely on the scientific community's own continuing efforts to develop, validate and adopt non-animal alternative methods.

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to establish a culture of care in laboratories which carry out scientific procedures on animals.

Bob Ainsworth: In their Report published last year, the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures recognised the progress that had been made since the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 came into force, in fostering a culture of care in establishments designated under that legislation.
	The culture of care as regards animals used in scientific procedures in the United Kingdom is indeed probably better than anywhere else in the world, and we remain committed to maintaining and improving that position.
	The animals must be housed and cared for in accordance with codes of practice published and laid before Parliament under the 1986 Act. These codes set standards which have to be met as a requirement of licence conditions, and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate closely monitors compliance.
	A number of other measures have, we believe, contributed to a culture of care. These have included the mandatory training of prospective and existing licence holders, and of named veterinary surgeons—and we plan shortly to bring in such training for named animal care and welfare officers—and the introduction and development of ethical review processes in designated establishments. Expansion of the Inspectorate is also beginning to make a difference in this area, as it enables more resources to be devoted to the proactive dissemination and promotion of best care and husbandry practice. Moreover, we continue to encourage communication and networking among licence holders so that best practice can be shared, and we continue to press for the highest standards to be incorporated in European legislation.

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research or training the Government are funding abroad concerning animals in scientific procedures; and if it is his policy that the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) 1986 Act are followed in such cases.

Bob Ainsworth: The Government accept that Government-funded procedures should be consistent with the principles of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Home Office does not routinely collect information on the funding of such research, or training. I shall, however, consult Government colleagues and write to the hon. Member.

Asylum Seekers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers there were in (a) Hull and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each month in the last two quarters for which figures are available; how long each application took to process; and how many applications were successful.

Beverley Hughes: The information is not available in the form requested.
	The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
	Information on outstanding asylum cases, initial decision outcomes and asylum case processing times relating to persons in particular areas of the UK is unavailable as are statistics regarding the location of asylum seekers not in receipt of support.
	NASS does not disperse asylum seekers to any areas in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) accommodated by NASS and receiving subsistence only support in Hull as at the end of each quarter since June 2002 1 :
	
		
			 As at end of quarter Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in Hull Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) receiving subsistence only support in Hull(22) 
		
		
			 June 2002 995 (23)— 
			 September 2002 995 (23)— 
			 December 2002 1,010 35 
			 March 2003 940 50 
		
	
	(21) Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. These figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.
	(22) Figures on the location of cases receiving subsistence only support only became available below regional level from December 2002.
	(23) Figures for subsistence only cases by Local Authority are only available from December 2002.
	From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of March 2003, there were the following additional number 4 of asylum seekers being supported by the local authorities in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire: (Asylum seekers are not necessarily resident in the Local Authority that supports them due to the voluntary dispersal programme which operated prior to NASS).
	
		
			 Local Authority Number of singles supported as at end March 2003 Number of families supported as at end of March 2003 
		
		
			 East Riding 5 0 
			 Hull 20 5 
		
	
	Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	4 Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. These figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether accusations of domestic violence to the police about the behaviour of an asylum seeker are taken into consideration by Ministers when considering deportation.

Beverley Hughes: Before a person can be removed or deported full account is taken of all known relevant factors. These include any criminal convictions, and the individual's personal history including his or her character and conduct.

Drugs

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of Class A drugs supplied to the UK market he estimates were intercepted in each six month period since January 2000.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Work is under way to improve estimates of the total supply of Class A drugs to the UK but law enforcement agencies are currently working on the basis that in 2001–02, they took out an estimated 10 per cent. of heroin and 21 per cent. of cocaine supply to the UK. Information for other periods and other Class A drugs is not available.

Community Sentences

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of (a) offenders, (b) adult offenders, (c) young male offenders and (d) female offenders who completed community sentences in the most recent year for which figures are available were reconvicted for a standard list offence within two years.

Paul Goggins: There is no available information on reconviction rates for offenders completing community sentences.
	Of all offenders commencing community penalties in the first quarter of 1999, 44.3 per cent. were reconvicted within two years. This was a 3.1 per cent. fall from the expected rate based on first quarter 1997. These figures have been adjusted to exclude breaches and convictions after the start of the community sentence where the offence had been committed before the community sentence started.
	More detailed figures are available only in respect of offenders who started community sentences in 1995. Of those offenders, (a) 56 per cent. of all offenders (b) 51 per cent. of all adult offenders (c) 73 per cent. of young male offenders 1 and (d) 42 per cent. of all female offenders had been reconvicted within two years. These figures have not been adjusted.
	1 Young offenders are defined here as those aged under 21 years at the date of commencement of the order.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a response to his letter of 14 May 2003 regarding a constituent.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 June 2003
	I wrote to my hon. Friend on 11 June 2003 and will reply more fully once current investigations into his constituent's concerns are completed.

Crime (Merseyside)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the crime trends on Merseyside since 1995; which criminal activity has declined most in Merseyside since 1995; and what estimate he has made of the reasons for that decline;
	(2)  what the total number of crimes recorded per head of population was in Merseyside in each year since 2000.

Bob Ainsworth: Information on the total number of recorded crimes per 100,000 of the population is given in the table.
	
		Number of recorded crimes per 100,000 population: Merseyside
		
			  Number of offences 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1999–2000 10,513 
			 2000–01 10,174 
			 2001–02 10,755 
		
	
	(24) Numbers will be affected by the size of the resident population relative to the transient or visiting populations and may therefore over-represent the number of crimes relative to the real population of potential victims.
	There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which had a tendency to increase the number of offences counted. Numbers of offences for years before and after this date, and figures calculated from them, willtherefore not be directly comparable.
	The table contains recorded crime figures for the number of offences recorded and the number of offences per 1,000 population for the nine main offence groups. Despite the change in counting rules the figures show that the offence group with the biggest decline in the number of offences recorded per 1,000 population from 1995 to 2001–02 is Theft and Handling. This group includes vehicle crime offences. The offence group with the largest percentage decrease is burglary.
	
		Recorded crimes by offence group—Merseyside(25)
		
			  1995 1996 1997 
			 Offence group Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 8,098 5.6 8,236 5.8 8,083 5.7 
			 Sexual Offences 937 0.7 891 0.6 906 0.6 
			 Robbery 2,768 1.9 2,985 2.1 2,141 1.5 
			 Burglary 34,497 24.0 29,437 20.6 26,266 18.5 
			 Theft and Handling 74,797 52.1 71,393 50.0 58,520 41.2 
			 Fraud and Forgery 4,259 3.0 4,288 3.0 4,269 3.0 
			 Criminal Damage 25,855 18.0 26,907 18.9 23,677 16.7 
			 Drug Offences(27) — — — — — — 
			 Other Offences 2,174 1.5 1,819 1.3 2,117 1.5 
			 Total 153,385 106.9 145,956 102.3 125,979 88.7 
		
	
	
		
			  1998–99(26) 2000–01 2001–02 
			 Offence group Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population Offences recorded Offences per 1,000 population 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 12,208 8.6 14,639 10.4 15,855 11.3 16,030 11.4 
			 Sexual Offences 1,019 0.7 935 0.7 982 0.7 1,018 0.7 
			 Robbery 2,484 1.8 2,663 1.9 2,405 1.7 3,155 2.3 
			 Burglary 26,498 18.8 25,638 18.2 23,938 17.1 25,478 18.2 
			 Theft and Handling 59,044 41.8 62,230 44.2 57,844 41.2 59,698 42.5 
			 Fraud and Forgery 4,884 3.5 4,794 3.4 5,021 3.6 5,380 3.8 
			 Criminal Damage 27,465 19.4 30,822 21.9 30,593 21.8 33,899 24.2 
			 Drug Offences(27) 5,620 4.0 4,838 3.4 4,421 3.2 4,390 3.1 
			 Other Offences 1,652 1.2 1,613 1.1 1,748 1.3 1,886 1.3 
			 Total 140,874 99.7 148,172 105.1 142,807 101.7 150,934 107.6 
		
	
	(25) Crime statistics were collected on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and on a financial year basis thereafter.
	(26) The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998. Numbers of offences for years before and after this date, and figures calculated from them, may therefore not be directly comparable.
	(27) Prior to April 1998, the only drug offences recorded were 'Trafficking in controlled drugs', which were recorded within the Other Offences Group. After this date, the Home Office Counting Rules were revised and expanded to include the further drug offences of 'Possession of controlled drugs' and 'Other drug offences'.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ellie Baker

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  on what dates meetings took place between the West Midlands police and the Crown Prosecution Service investigating the allegations against Detective Chief Superintendent Ellie Baker;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the reasons for the time taken to investigate the allegations against Detective Chief Superintendent Ellie Baker of the West Midlands Constabulary; and how much it cost to investigate the allegations against her.

Bob Ainsworth: The West Midlands police inform me that the involvement of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), the appointment of the metropolitan police service (MPS) to conclude the investigation and consideration of the matter by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are all factors which have contributed to the time taken in the investigation. Once the CPS determined that no criminal proceedings should be instigated, further delays have arisen through the need to consider whether DCS Baker should face misconduct proceedings and the processes of disclosure of relevant information and subsequent interviews that this required. Further written representations submitted by DCS Baker in May are currently under consideration by the PCA before they make their recommendations on whether DCS Baker should face misconduct proceedings.
	The West Midlands police advise me that a detailed account of the costs of the investigation is not available. However, they advise that a conservative estimate of the cost of the investigation so far would be in the region of £150,000.
	I am further advised that the West Midlands police met the CPS on 17, 23 and 30 October 2002 before the matter was voluntarily referred to the PCA and the MPS were appointed to oversee the investigation. A West Midlands police representative also attended a meeting between the MPS and the CPS in January 2003 when it was determined that there would be no criminal proceedings against DCS Baker.

Dungavel Detention Centre

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the race relations policy that has been approved for Dungavel Detention Centre.

Beverley Hughes: I shall arrange for copies of the race relations policy for Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre to be placed in the Library.

Hotel Accommodation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the amount spent by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on hotel accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) others, and if he will list the average cost per hotel room, in each year since 1997.

David Blunkett: The detailed information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All travel by Civil Servants within the Home Office is conducted in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.
	The Government publishes an annual report of Ministerial travel overseas. Which includes the costs of accommodation. The information sought in respect of accommodation within the United Kingdom is not held centrally. All travel is conducted in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.

International Organisation for Migration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries have an International Organisation for Migration office; where are they located and what funding he provides to each office; how many individuals have been assisted to return to each country; and how many of them have received reintegration assistance.

Beverley Hughes: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is an intergovernmental, and independent organisation that operates in more than 100 different countries. Full and detailed information regarding their activities and worldwide office locations is available on their internet website at www.iomlondon.org
	Funding for IOM is commercially confidential and cannot be disclosed. I can however say that the Government of the United Kingdom, along with other United Nation member states, makes an assessed contribution towards the administration budget of the IOM's worldwide operation. IOM also operate, on behalf of the Home Office, an assisted voluntary return programme, which is co-financed by the European Refugee Fund.
	Regarding the numbers of individuals who have been assisted to return to their country of origin and/or have received reintegration assistance:
	Revised figures regarding persons who left the UK under Assisted Voluntary Returns (AVR) Programmes in 2002 are not yet available but will be published on the Home Office website later in the year in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002". I can however provisionally say:
	890 principal asylum applicants left the United Kingdom under AVR Programmes during 2002 and 980 during 2001.
	In addition, 305 dependants of asylum seekers who left the UK under such programmes in 2002 and 230 in the period April to December 2001.
	Data on dependants removed have only been collected since April 2001.
	A nationality breakdown of this information is not available.
	Reintegration assistance was introduced to the assisted voluntary return programme, from 2002, in support of the sustainability of return. This information is therefore not yet available.

Labour Party Conference

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will determine the application by Dorset police for the additional funding needed to finance the policing of the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth in 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 9 June 2003
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, informed the Chief Constable (Mrs. Jane Stichbury QPM) on 4 June that Dorset police would receive a special grant of £1.9 million as a contribution towards the additional cost of policing this years Labour Party Conference.
	We have separately provided in the Dorset Police Authority's capital allocation for 2003–04 a further £0.2 million for new CCTV equipment for party conferences. The total funding we are providing in 2003–04 is therefore £2.1 million.

Partnership Agreements

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department.

David Blunkett: I can confirm that it is our intention to seek to work in partnership with recognised unions. In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance about the benefits of partnership working and related best practice different areas of the Home Office Group have decided for themselves how to develop their own partnership working arrangements.
	A "voluntary" agreement between the Prison Service and the Prison Services Association/Prison Governors Association providing, among other things, the general principles for resolving disputes came into effect in May 2001.
	The Passport and Records Agency signed a partnership agreement with the Public and Commercial Services Union in May 2002.
	The Forensic Science Service has met Prospect and PCS to discuss the concept of partnership. Further discussions are planned.
	The National Probation Directorate (NPD) have a joint Staff Consultative Committee and a National Health and Safety Forum with the National Association of Probation Officers, Unison and GMB. NPD will be meeting with their three recognised unions in July to agree a protocol on how they will work together.
	Within the Non-Agency Home Office discussions are taking place with FDA, PCS and Prospect about the terms of a draft Industrial Relations Agreement.
	The Immigration and Nationality Directorate and the Immigration Service Union are discussing the terms of a draft "Working Together" agreement.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether to use credit reference checking agencies to reduce fraud as set out in the UKPS business plan 2002–07.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service (UKPS) has conducted a limited pilot on using private sector databases to assist in the confirmation of the identity of people applying for passports. UKPS will be conducting a more extensive pilot in the autumn of this year with a view, if successful, of integrating these checks into the passport issuing process.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of successful dummy fraud applications were detected as set out in the UKPS business plan 2002–07.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service (UKPS) has initiated a programme of testing its systems and procedures through the introduction of dummy fraudulent applications. This is a diagnostic tool used by the UKPS to check the effectiveness of its fraud prevention and detection arrangements. It would be prejudicial to the UKPS's business interests to publish detailed information on the results of this testing.
	The UKPS is actively using the results to develop its procedures and systems. This includes a large scale pilot of arrangements to access commercial databases to support the identity validation process which will commence this autumn. As indicated in its 2003–08 Corporate and Business Plan the UKPS will be introducing a range of initiatives designed to support examiners in identifying fraudulent applications.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations are in progress within the UK Passport Service relating to criminal trading of passports taken from within passport offices.

Beverley Hughes: There are no such investigations in progress.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in the UK Passport Service have received training in fraud identification; and how many Special File sections there have been in the UKPS in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: Fraud identification and awareness is part of the training provided by the UK Passport Service (UKPS) for staff involved in the examination of applications for United Kingdom passports. In addition to this, UKPS has just delivered fraud awareness sessions for all examination staff in all of its seven regional offices.
	Staff employed in Special Files sections receive on the job training in fraud identification as part of their induction to these specialist sections. A number of staff within these sections have undertaken training in fraud investigation as part of a programme accredited by the University of Portsmouth. Several of these staff are now recognised as accredited counter-fraud specialists. To strengthen its fraud prevention and detection arrangements, as indicated in its 2003–08 Corporate and Business Plan, the UKPS plans to put all staff dedicated to fraud investigation through such an accredited training programme.
	Special Files sections are an integral part of all UKPS regional offices. All offices have had such a section throughout the last five years.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of fraudulent applications for passports and (b) the number detected in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: It is very difficult to establish the precise level of identity fraud and this is reflected in the findings of a Cabinet Office study on identity fraud which was published last year.
	As part of its Fraud Action Plan the UK Passport Service (UKPS) has undertaken an exercise involving some 10,000 passport applications to establish an indication of the levels of fraudulent application being received. This exercise was run during a peak period in the summer of last year and further exercises need to be run to take account of seasonal variations but if the results of this first exercise are extrapolated they indicate that the level of fraud may run at around 0.18 per cent. of applications received. With around 5 million passports being issued each year this would equate to 9,000 fraudulent applications per year.
	This exercise represents a snapshot of the possible level of fraud at a particular time of year. It is to be repeated on a routine basis at different times of the year.
	UKPS is currently reviewing its systems for collecting, collating and analysing management information relating to passport fraud. The figures available form existing systems for fraudulent passport applications which have been detected in each of the last five years are given in the table.
	
		Fraudulent passport applications
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1998(28) 1,368 
			 1999–2000 1,596 
			 2000–01 1,484 
			 2001–02 2,419 
			 2002–03 1,973 
		
	
	(28) Calendar year
	The figures for 2002–03 do not include a significant number of cases which are subject to major and ongoing investigations.
	Strengthening its fraud prevention and detection arrangements while monitoring its customer service standards is a business imperative for the UKPS, and its 2003–08 Corporate and Business Plan details a range of initiatives to improve identity authentication, and to counter fraud. These include improving staff training in fraud detection, the creation of specialist fraud and intelligence units, the launch of a global passport database, building a global lost, stolen, and recovered database, and greater date sharing with public and private sections.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information the UKPS lost and stolen passport database collects as set out in the UKPS business plan 2002–07; and if he will place a copy of this information in the Library.

Beverley Hughes: The information that will be collected on the UK Passport Service's lost, stolen and recovered database will comprise the personal details of the passport holder, including address; details of the passport concerned; details of the person reporting the loss; and, the circumstances of the loss including any police references. The details which will be collected in relation to recovered passports will be broadly the same as for loss but with details of the person who has recovered the passport and the circumstances of the recovery in place of details of the loss reporter and circumstances of the loss.
	The forms associated with loss and recovery notification are still being developed but I will be happy to place copies in the Library once they have been finalised.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports have been lost from the passport offices in (a) Belfast, (b) Durham, (c) Glasgow, (d) Liverpool, (e) London, (f) Liverpool, (g) Newport and (h) Peterborough in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: A total of 15 passports have been reported lost in three separate incidents from passport offices between 1998 and 2002. The breakdown for each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		Passports reported lost from passport offices
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total 
		
		
			 Belfast 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Durham(29) n/a n/a 0 0 0 0 
			 Glasgow 0 0 14 0 0 14 
			 Liverpool 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newport 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Peterborough 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			
			 Total 0 0 15 0 0 15 
		
	
	(29) The Durham office did not open until April 2000.
	In each case a full and thorough investigation was undertaken by UK Passport Service security personnel. A police investigation was also undertaken into a single incident in Glasgow when 13 passports could not be accounted for. Details of these passports have been passed to the Immigration Service.

Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the UK Passport Agency has made of how many people in the UK have duplicate passports.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service (UKPS) does not issue duplicate passports. All passports are uniquely numbered and identified. In certain limited circumstances UKPS will consider issuing a second passport to someone who can demonstrate a legitimate and imperative need for two passports. In such cases the second passport is a unique document with its own unique number.

Equal Opportunities

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Office completed the final report of its Equal Pay Audit, including an action plan, and submitted it to Cabinet Office on 6 May 2003. The report found that non-Agency Home Office pay structures and practices had been "equality-proofed" and were within the tolerance standards set by the Equal Opportunities Commission in relation to gender. The Home Office action plan includes undertaking a second equal pay review later in 2003, which in addition to considering gender, will seek to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.
	A copy of the action plan will be placed in the Library once any arising discussions with Cabinet Office have been concluded.
	Non-Departmental Public Bodies were not formally covered by the commitment but may have carried out their own Equal Pay Audits.

Police

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were involved in policing the England football match at Leicester on 3 June; and what the cost was to the police authorities.

Bob Ainsworth: The Leicestershire police operation involved the deployment of 379 officers and 27 support staff, including 50 officers, 10 police horses and special vehicles provided by neighbouring forces in accordance with mutual aid arrangements. 107 police officers were deployed inside the ground for at least part of their duties. The Police Authority has yet to calculate the full cost of the operation.

Police

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned on the safety of the Airwave Communications police communications system.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 10 June 2002
	Following independent expert advice on the health and safety aspects of the TETRA technology used by Airwave, the Home Office has set up an extensive research programme. We have recently announced a £5 million national health monitoring study of Airwave police users, to be carried out by Imperial College. Other key elements of the research are a study by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory on the possible biological effects of TETRA and independent checks of the emissions of Airwave radios. All the results so far confirm that Airwave equipment is safe.
	Updates on our TETRA health programme are available on the Home Office web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/tetra.html.

Police

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is available for the establishment of police station shops in local shopping centre precincts; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Police authorities may use their general capital and revenue grants to provide such facilities as they consider appropriate in local circumstances.

Terrorism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans will be made to protect an Olympic Games held in London from terrorist attack.

David Blunkett: Security arrangements for any major event are of the utmost importance, and an Olympic Games would be no exception. The Government and their partners will work alongside the bidding organisation and in the event of a successful bid, the organising committee, to ensure that the appropriate arrangements are in place.

Terrorism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack at venues where large groups of people gather.

David Blunkett: Cross-government contingency plans have always been in place and regular exercises test responses to a wide range of different threats. The exercises test the roles of all relevant Government Departments, military, police and local authorities. The Government give the police and security forces the funds and powers necessary to do their job. Day to day operational considerations are a matter for the heads of the appropriate authorities in any particular area. It would not be appropriate for me to disclose contingency arrangements or how particular authorities utilise the resources available to them.

Terrorism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to reduce the time taken for those detained under the Anti-Terrorism and Security Act 2001 to be brought to trial.

David Blunkett: Individuals detained under s23 of the Anti-Terrorist, Crime and Security Act 2001 (ATCSA) are detained under a primary immigration power and are free to leave the country.
	Individuals detained under the ATCSA have a Right of Appeal against certification exercisable to the Special Immigrations Appeals Commission (SIAC). SIAC began hearing the first of 15 appeals on 19 May 2003.
	The detainees exercised their right to contest the Government's derogation from Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which underpins Part IV of Act, by lodging an appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals' Commissioner. This matter was taken up in the Court Appeal and resolved in October 2002. Any delays to the individual detainee appeal hearings have followed from these legal challenges, as well as delays in the preparation of material by those acting for the detainees themselves.

Terrorism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to prevent incidents of terrorism in the UK.

David Blunkett: As I have made clear in the House on a number of occasions, safeguards are in place across the country to combat the threat posed by terrorism. It would not be appropriate to comment on particular measures or operational procedures.
	The security and intelligence agencies continue to gather, analyse and assess intelligence, working closely with others, to thwart and disrupt those individuals and organisations involved in the facilitation, preparation or commission of terrorist acts.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Accountancy Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in 2002–03.

Paul Murphy: In 2002–03, the Northern Ireland Office (including its Agencies but excluding NDPBs as we do not have a breakdown of their expenditure) spent an estimated £213,775 on accountancy services.
	Much of this figure relates to implementing Resource Accounting and Budgeting, and installing a new Financial Information System. It was necessary for the Department to employ external consultants for these projects, as the required expertise and resources were not available in-house to introduce them.
	The estimated total cost of accountancy services in the Northern Ireland administration is £1,575,034. The figure is estimated, as final invoices have not been received in all cases.

Agency Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds.

Ian Pearson: In 2001–02, a total of 170 employment agency workers were engaged by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office at a cost of £620,182. In 2002–03, the totals were 213 and £1,099,225, respectively.

Ambulance Service

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service are unable to work as a result of violent attacks by (a) patients and (b) other members of the community.

Des Browne: Since 1 January 2003 there have been 70 reported incidents of violent attacks on ambulance staff, as a result of which 7 staff have been unable to work. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service does not differentiate between attacks by a patient or other members of the community when recording violent attacks.

Assaults (Health Professionals)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many violent attacks have been initiated by patients and directed at (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other health care professionals in Northern Ireland over the 12 month period from 1 May 2002.

Des Browne: The information is not available in the format requested. However in the financial year 2002–03 the recorded number of assaults (both verbal and physical) reported in Health and Personal Social Services Trusts was 5065.

Assaults (Health Professionals)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many violent attacks by patients, directed against paramedics, have occurred in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Des Browne: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service does not record attacks on its staff in the manner requested. However, the total number of attacks on Ambulance Service personnel during 2002 and 2003 to date is as follows:
	
		
			  Total 
		
		
			 2002 96 
			 2003 (to date) 70

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on boards and trusts producing costed proposals on autism services by September as indicated in the Priorities for Action document.

Des Browne: Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts have identified the diagnostic, assessment and support services that need to be enhanced. They are about to develop costed proposals. This will be done in consultation with Education and Library Boards.

Brain Surgery

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he will take to reduce the waiting lists for brain surgery in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Pressures on the neurosurgery service have arisen mainly as a result of a need for more theatre time, and shortages in experienced nursing staff. This is not a problem unique to Northern Ireland—there are similar problems with this service throughout the NHS.
	The Royal Group of Hospitals, in liaison with the four Boards, has been working hard to improve the situation, both in the short-term, and with regard to the longer-term development of the service.
	A task force was established by the Trust to lead the effort in addressing the problems faced by the service;
	Extra theatre lists have been introduced;
	A twin-track approach to enhance the recruitment and retention of nurses has been implemented to restore nursing levels and enable more beds to be opened. This has involved:
	the appointment of a 'clinical educator' to enhance training opportunities and to support and increase the number of nurses in training; and
	the recruitment of additional nurses, allowing the phased opening of beds from June 2003, with all beds re-opening by January 2004.
	A clinical careers framework for nurses has also been launched to improve opportunities for personal development and career pathways;
	In addition, treatment has been provided for some suitable patients in units outside Northern Ireland.
	These measures should make a significant contribution to addressing the problems in this service. I have asked my Department, in liaison with the Boards and the Trust, to keep me apprised of progress.

Child Support Agency

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to ensure that regular maintenance payments are paid by non-resident parents to the Child Support Agency.

Des Browne: It is already the policy to ensure that all non-resident parents comply with their maintenance liabilities in full. Where parents are outside the jurisdiction of the Child Support Agency, they can pursue maintenance payments through the court system in the appropriate country.

Civil Service (Newry and Mourne)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service have been publicly advertised since 14 October 2002 for which Irish nationals have been ineligible.

Paul Murphy: Since 14 October 2002 the Northern Ireland Office has advertised seven competitions publicly and of these Irish nationals have been ineligible for two.
	Within the Northern Ireland Administration 13 posts were reserved for UK nationals.

Civil Service (Newry and Mourne)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has received external independent legal advice since suspension on the legality of the exclusion of Irish citizens from reserved posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Paul Murphy: Since suspension the Northern Ireland Office has continued to treat publicly advertised vacancies as before. The business area where the vacancy arises makes the decision as to whether a post should be open to Irish citizens or not. This is based on information used by all Departments when deciding if a post is public or non public service. Therefore since suspension there has been no independent legal advice received on the legality of the exclusion of Irish citizens from reserved posts in the Northern Ireland Office.
	Within the Northern Ireland Administration independent legal advice on the application of nationality restrictions has been sought but not yet received.

Human Rights/Equality Commissions

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the costs were of the (a) Human Rights Commission and (b) Equality Commission over the last 12 months.

Des Browne: The costs of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in the financial year 2002–03 were £1,217,250.
	The costs of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in the financial year 2002–03 were £7,512,000.

Cycling

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria have been used to decide that the Sports Council of Northern Ireland does not recognise the British Cycling Federation as the governing body for cycling within Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: British Cycling does not operate in Northern Ireland whereas Cycling Ulster does, and it has a clear link with the world governing body—the Union Cyclist Internationale. On this basis, and given the four home country sports councils have an agreed policy of recognising only one governing body per sport; the Sports Council for Northern Ireland have decided to recognise Cycling Ulster.

Dementia

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will initiate a review into services for those who suffer from dementia in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: A detailed examination of service provision for people with dementia was carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by the Department with representatives from Boards, Trusts, the University of Ulster and the Alzheimer's Society in 1994. Its aim was to examine policy on dementia in Northern Ireland and to provide Boards and Trusts with guidance, which would contribute to a more co-ordinated and better targeted approach to meeting the needs of people with dementia and their carers. The Department accepted the Report of the Dementia Policy Scrutiny published in 1995 and adopted its 33 recommendations as the basis for policy in this area.
	While progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Dementia Policy Scrutiny Report, more needs to be done. The Department is now looking at what further action can be taken to improve services, in the light of developments since this report. Boards, Trusts and significant groups such as the Alzheimer's Society will be fully involved in this process.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office takes all steps possible to minimise underspends, though sometimes operational circumstances make these unavoidable. We will not know the extent of any underspend for 2002–03 before the end of June 2003.
	Because of the commitments the Department faces in the current financial year, we are confident that any underspend will be less than in previous years.
	Within the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland administration information on the extent of any underspend for 2002–03 will not be available until late June 2003. However, on the basis of underspends in previous years an action plan to address this issue was set out in a statement to the Assembly on 1 July 2002 by the (then) Minister of Finance and Personnel. This included setting spending plans at a level which exceeded the actual spending power available by building in underspend assumptions, and the revised spending plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06, announced on 11 December 2002, built on that approach. Full details are set out in section two of the Budget Document "Building on Progress: Budget 2003—2006", copies were placed in the Library on 11 December 2002.

Digital Hearing Aids

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress since 1st January on making digital hearing aids more widely available in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: Digital hearing aids (DHAs) are to be introduced, on a phased basis, from September this year. Trusts with audiology departments have started to recruit additional audiologists and to install specialist testing equipment needed to support the introduction of DHAs. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has established a small working group that includes head audiologists, a consultant ENT surgeon and the Northern Ireland Director of RNID to develop guidance on candidacy for the new aids and to oversee introduction.

Digital Hearing Aids

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the criteria for the allocation of NHS digital hearing aids in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: Digital hearing aids are to be introduced, on a phased basis, from September this year. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has established a small working group that includes head audiologists, a consultant ENT surgeon and the Northern Ireland Director of RNID to develop guidance on candidacy for the new aids and oversee introduction of digital hearing aids. Draft guidance has been issued for consultation and it is expected that final guidance will issue before the summer.

Education Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much finance will be received by each further education college as part of the funding for the sector which was recently announced.

Jane Kennedy: Colleges will receive the following allocations in respect of their main recurrent block grant allocations for the 2003–04 academic year.
	
		
			 College £ 
		
		
			 Armagh College of Further and Higher Education 4,167,783 
			 Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education 25,482,613 
			 Castlereagh College of Further and Higher Education 4,130,391 
			 Causeway Institute of Further and Higher Education 4,914,222 
			 East Antrim Institute of Further and Higher Education 6,824,152 
			 East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education 4,509,722 
			 East Tyrone College of Further and Higher Education 4,116,439 
			 Fermanagh College of Further and Higher Education 5,273,300 
			 Limavady College of Further and Higher Education 4,431,085 
			 Lisburn Institute of Further and Higher Education 4,899,571 
			 Newry and Kilkeel Institute of Further and Higher Education 8,410,605 
			 North Down and Ards Institute of Further and Higher Education 9,485,688 
			 North East Institute of Further and Higher Education 8,701,192 
			 North West Institute of Further and Higher Education 13,843,976 
			 Omagh College of Further and Higher Education 3,935,546 
			 Upper Bann Institute of Further and Higher Education 6,873,715 
			 Total 120,000,000 
		
	
	The additional £14 million which will be made available to colleges for special initiatives has not yet been allocated on an individual college basis.

Employment Opportunities

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 594W, on manufacturing, what percentage of the jobs created in Northern Ireland since the signing of the Belfast Agreement were (a) public sector, (b) private sector, (c) full-time, (d) part-time and (e) temporary contract.

Ian Pearson: The most comprehensive information available for which it is possible to provide a breakdown by areas requested relates to the period spring 1998 (March-May 1998) to winter 2003 (December 2002– February 2003) and refers to employment levels not jobs. The net change in employment levels in Northern Ireland by employment status over that period as estimated by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) is provided in Table 1.
	
		Table 1: Change in employment status spring 1998 to winter 2002–03
		
			  Spring 1998 Winter 2002–03 Change Percentage change 
		
		
			 Public sector employment 210,000 230,000 21,000 10 
			 Private sector employment 471,000 517,000 45,000 10 
			 Full-time employment 541,000 582,000 40,000 7 
			 Part-time employment 139,000 166,000 28,000 20 
			 Permanent employees(30) 530,000 596,000 66,000 13 
			 Temporary employees(30) 36,000 33,000 -3,000 -9 
			 All in employment(31) 687,000 751,000 64,000 9 
		
	
	(30) Note that permanent/temporary nature of job only applies to employees and not to other types of employment.
	(31) Status not known or does not apply.
	Note:
	The Labour Force Survey is a sample survey and as such estimates are subject to sampling variability. For example, the estimate of net annual change in total employment has an associated sampling "error" of ±27,000 which indicates that 95 per cent. of the time the true population figure of net change in employment is expected to lie within the range 64,000 ±27,000. A similar principle underlies each of the estimates of net change in the table and this should be taken into account when interpreting the results.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Employment Relations Act

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department have taken time off from work in order to attend to domestic incidents as provided for by the Employment Relations Act 1999.

Paul Murphy: The legislation in Northern Ireland corresponding to the Employment Relations Act 1999 is the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. Special Leave policy rests with individual Departments and Agencies who are free to decide on the amounts of special leave and the circumstances for which it is granted, including whether it is paid or unpaid.
	Within the Northern Ireland Office, 109 Northern Ireland Civil Service staff were granted absence for domestic incidents (which includes bereavement leave, childcare, domestic emergency, partner care, elderly/relative care, paternity leave) from 16 October 2002 to 11 April 2003. A total of 298.5 days was taken. Statistics on Home Civil Service staff could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on those members of staff working in NI Departments who have taken time off from work in order to attend domestic incidents since the introduction of the legislation on 15 December 1999 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Central records have, however, been maintained since 16 October 2002. Between that date and 31 March 2003, 1,104 members of staff working in NI Departments have taken time off from work in order to attend to domestic incidents.

Employment Relations Act

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department have used their leave entitlement under the Parental Leave Directive since it came into force.

Paul Murphy: Within the Northern Ireland Office, since the Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations (NI) 1999 came into operation on 15 December 1999, giving staff the right to Parental Leave, 24 members of staff have made use of this entitlement.
	Within the Northern Ireland Administration, 12 members of staff have made use of it.

Energy Industry

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring forward legislation to allow for a low-cost borrowing mechanism in the Northern Ireland energy industry.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on the 4 March 2003. (97894)
	I am currently awaiting a report and recommendations from a working group, involving my officials and economists from the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation, which I set up to examine practical options for reducing energy costs in Northern Ireland. I will also wish to hear the views of the Authority, particularly in the light of their latest consultation paper, Competition and Customer EmpowermentThe Next Steps in the Northern Ireland Electricity Market.
	I have made clear my commitment to reducing energy costs for consumers and business in Northern Ireland in the context of the Department's consultation paper Towards a New Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland published on 17 April 2003.

Energy Efficiency

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets his Department has for improving energy efficiency; and how he intends to achieve these targets.

Ian Pearson: The Climate Change Programme, published by the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in November 2000, was laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly. The energy efficiency targets it contains were included in the Northern Ireland Executive's Programme for Government and also adopted by the Northern Ireland Office for the areas within its control. These targets are being pursued by: (a) programmes of training in energy awareness for key staff; (b) regular investment in projects to improve the energy efficiency of, and reduce emissions from, buildings occupied by Departments; and (c) regular monitoring of buildings' energy performance.

Energy Efficiency

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement, in relation to his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible, on (a) the amount of energy consumed, (b) spending on (i) energy and (ii) energy efficiency measures, (c) the amount saved through energy efficiency measures and (d) energy policy in each of the last five years.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Administration do not hold the information in the format requested.
	With the establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive, all the Northern Ireland Departments, their agencies and many other public bodies were reorganised. Furthermore, the basis on which information is collected was changed from April 2000. The combined effect of these changes means that it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons across the period as a whole.
	The information available is given in the following tables.
	Investment in energy efficiency includes support from the Central Energy Efficiency Fund, a measure unique to Northern Ireland. Between 199798 and 200102, in addition to departmental investment, the Fund has invested 12.7 million, producing an estimated cumulative saving for that period of 16.4 million.
	Departments and other public bodies in Northern Ireland have been actively seeking to improve their energy efficiency for many years, and are aware of the targets for improvement contained in the Climate Change Programme.
	
		PQ 1000/03Northern Ireland DepartmentsEnergy Consumption (kWh)19972000
		
			 Department 199798 199899 19992000 3-year total 
		
		
			 DANI 10,983,386 11,526,184 12,231,997 34,741,567 
			 DENI 643,353,807 612,434,387 582,684,752 1,838,472,946 
			 DED 6,353,084 6,709,184 6,924,027 19,986,295 
			 DFP (32) (32) 2,289,207 2,289,207 
			 DHSS 759,388,330 784,182,266 756,347,671 2,299,918,267 
			 DOE 218,792,842 234,805,178 343,617,604 797,215,624 
			 NIO (33) (33) (33) (33) 
			 Prison Service 73,869,698 82,317,445 74,246,430 230,433,573 
			 Probation Board 1,073,261 899,348 1,540,705 3,513,314 
			 RUC Estate Services 96,563,720 95,532,284 99,029,833 291,125,837 
			 Total 1,810,378,128 1,828,406,276 1,878,912,226 5,517,696,630 
		
	
	
		Northern Ireland DepartmentsEnergy Consumption (kWh)20002002
		
			 Department 200001 200102 2-year total 
		
		
			 DARD 10,168,997 11,569,966 21,738,963 
			 Agricultural Research Institute of NI 1,301,334 1,329,036 2,630,370 
			 DCAL(34)
			 Libraries 5,964,224 4,577,739 10,541,963 
			 Museums 8,779,037 8,345,822 17,124,859 
			 DE(32)
			 Education and Library Bds 446,963,427 385,658,801 832,622,228 
			 DETI 3,207,072 2,995,316 6,202,388 
			 DFP 10,053,611 9,326,485 19,380,096 
			 DHFETE/DEL(32)
			 Universities 148,775,528 147,115,033 295,890,561 
			 Further Education Colleges 47,737,238 47,142,103 94,879,341 
			 DHSS and PS 728,632,911 695,895,376 1,424,528,287 
			 Core Buildings 7,586,115 7,156,556 14,742,671 
			 Fire Authority for NI 13,805,387 13,909,716 27,715,103 
			 DOE 9,141,076 7,590,212 16,731,288 
			 DRD 16,542,982 17,085,341 33,628,323 
			 Roads Service 99,245,787 102,136,164 201,381,951 
			 Water Service 221,433,423 236,514,571 457,947,994 
			 DSD 23,526,414 23,429,749 46,956,163 
			 NI Housing Executive 11,292,658 10,547,529 21,840,187 
			 TotalNI Departments 1,814,157,221 1,732,325,515 3,546,482,736 
			 NIO 4,001,502 4,285,481 8,286,983 
			 Prison Service 54,098,541 46,861,152 100,959,693 
			 Probation Board 1,034,087 1,611,872 2,645,959 
			 Royal Ulster Constabulary /Police Service for NI Estate Services 101,046,077 100,412,788 201,458,865 
			 TotalNIO 160,180,207 153,171,293 3 13,351,500 
			 Overall total 1,974,337,428 1,885,496,808 3,859,834,236 
		
	
	(32) DFP did not have any buildings of its own and occupied buildings managed by DOE as part of the Office Estate.
	(33) With the exception of Hillsborough Castle, all energy consumed in NIO buildings is managed through the Construction Service, formerly part of DoE but now with DFP. Until 2000, electricity was supplied to the Stormont Estate by NIE. The cost was then apportioned to the user departments according to their space occupancy but no kWh figures were ever produced. The information for Hillsborough Castle and the amount of oil burned at Stormont House is available but the inclusion of these figures in the table would be misleading.
	***Figures for DCAL, DE and DHFETE/DEL are not currently available.

Evacuated Dwellings (Special Purchase)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total costs of the special purchase of evacuated dwellings scheme were in each of the financial years since 1996.

Des Browne: The total costs of the Special Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings scheme were as follows:
	
		
			  Cost ( million) 
		
		
			 199697 6.062 
			 199798 5.873 
			 199899 9.840 
			 19992000 5.945 
			 200001 6.550 
			 200102 11.310 
			 200203 32.925

Fisheries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to stop the importation of fish from any area with lower fish health status than Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The movement of live fish, eggs and gametes within the European Union is governed by Council Directive EC 91/67 (as amended). This Directive provides for the establishment of Approved Zones for the List II Diseases Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS) and Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) and prohibits the import of fish into Approved Zones from non Approved Zones i.e. areas of a lower health status. Northern Ireland has Approved Zone status for both VHS and IHN and therefore can only import fish from other VHS and IHN Approved Zones. Due to the additional guarantees obtained by Northern Ireland in relation to the disease Gyrodactylosis Salaris (GS), imports of live salmonids into Northern Ireland must also be certified as coming from an area regarded as free from GS. Great Britain also has Approved Zone status for VHS and IHN and is regarded as an area free from GS and therefore fish can move freely between GB and Northern Ireland.
	However the Directive does not provide the Department with the legislative authority to prevent imports of fish into Northern Ireland from areas in which the List III Disease Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) is present providing they are certified as coming from an Approved Zone for the List II Diseases VHS and IHN and from an area regarded as free from GS. It is therefore the Department's policy to advise fish farmers of the risks of importing fish from these areas and to carry out rigorous testing of any such imports to determine whether the IPN virus is present. Should the presence of the IPN virus be detected it is the Department's policy to use its powers under the Diseases of Fish Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to take the necessary measures to prevent, control and eradicate the virus.

Fisheries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the origin of the fish confirmed as having infectious pancreatic necrosis in the latest outbreak in Northern Ireland is.

Ian Pearson: The latest incident of the infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus occurred in a marine fish farm off the coast of County Antrim. The infected fish have been bred from broodstock selected from salmon stocks on the farm and reared in the farm's hatchery. However tests carried out on samples of fish taken from the hatchery have indicated that the virus is not present in the hatchery and this evidence suggests that the fish have become infected following transfer to the marine environment. The IPN virus is endemic in the marine environment around the coast of Scotland and scientific evidence therefore suggests that any vector such as wild fish, species cohabiting with farmed fish, plankton, crustaceans, birds or mammals could be the source of infection.

Fisheries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is taking to prevent further outbreaks of infectious pancreatic necrosis within the wild trout and salmon populations in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Scientific evidence suggests that removal of the source of infection in farm fish means that the infection does not persist in wild populations. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has used its powers under the Diseases of Fish Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to make Infected Waters Orders declaring the fish farms infected with the infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus to be infected areas and providing the Department with the power to take such measures to prevent, control and eradicate the virus.
	In respect of the fish farm located in inland waters the Department has used its powers to direct the occupier to depopulate, clean down and disinfect the farm. The Department also directed that the farm remain fallow for a period of six weeks prior to restocking following which further sampling will be undertaken as a precautionary measure.
	In respect of the fish farm located in the marine environment the Department has used its powers to prohibit all movements of fish to and from the farm except under the authority of a licence issued by the Department. The Department has also introduced a number of precautionary measures at the infected area for the purpose of controlling the spread of the virus and is undertaking regular inspections of the area to ensure that these measures are being implemented.
	Although the Department has no powers to prevent imports of live fish from areas in which IPN virus is present providing the import is in accordance with EC Directive 91/67 (as amended) concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products, the Department advises fish farmers of the risks of importing live fish from such areas and carries out rigorous testing on any such imports to determine whether the IPN virus is present. Should the presence of the IPN virus be detected it is the Department's policy to use its powers under the Diseases of Fish Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to take the necessary measures to prevent, control and eradicate the virus.

Football

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding in (a) 200001, (b) 200102 and (c) 200203 from the (i) Exchequer and (ii) Lottery was given to football teams who are not playing in a UK league.

Angela Smith: Derry City Football Club is the only football team based in Northern Ireland which has been allocated funding by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland. The club have been awarded funding as follows:
	Exchequer Funding
	
		Safe Sports Grounds Programme -- 
		
			  200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Major Works 9,724   
			 Urgent Works 25,000   
			 Safety Management 1,540 6,270 4,560 
		
	
	Football Development Centre Programme
	In addition Derry FC received 52,164 towards the establishment of a Football Development Centre.
	Lottery Funding
	Derry City has not been allocated any Lottery Funding.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many doctors are acting as locum general practitioners in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: There is no comprehensive list of locum General Medical Practitioners held centrally. However, a voluntary register is maintained by Central Services Agency for the purposes of circulating relevant information about their profession. As at May 2003, there were 162 locum General Medical Practitioners recorded on this register.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the (a) smallest and (b) greatest number of patients a general practitioner in Northern Ireland has on their caseload.

Des Browne: As at May 2003, the smallest number of patients a general practitioner in Northern Ireland has on their caseload is 0 and the greatest number is 4,448. The general practitioners who have a caseload of 0 are either new general practitioners who have no patients registered yet or those who have retired but have come back to work in a practice and are working off another general practitioners list.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many GP registrar posts there will be in Northern Ireland in (a) 200304, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506 for senior house officers wishing to pursue a career in general practice who have trained in various specialities at different hospitals across the Province, rather than in geographically based schemes.

Des Browne: The number of GP Registrar posts available to doctors, whose training in various approved Senior House Officer posts was not part of the three-year training scheme, is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of Posts 
		
		
			 200304 16 
			 200405 5 
			 200506 (34)0 
		
	
	(34) In reality there may be a small number of posts available due to doctors dropping out of the three-year scheme or taking up research posts.

Hockey

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance his Department gives to young people living in Northern Ireland who wish to play in a British hockey team rather than an Irish hockey team.

Angela Smith: A hockey player who has declared to play for Great Britain, and is talented enough, may benefit from any support provided for squad preparation through UK Sport and could apply to the Sports Lottery Fund in Northern Ireland for support under the Talented Athlete Programme.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officials in his Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by his officials, broken down by category of honour.

Paul Murphy: During the period from New Year 1998 to New Year 2003, a total of 97 State Servants in the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office received honours, as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) 3 
			 Commander of the Order of the Bath (CB) 9 
			 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 12 
			 Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) 24 
			 Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) 49 
		
	
	Data are not routinely kept on those officials awarded honours before joining either the Northern Ireland Administration or the Northern Ireland Office or those officials who are awarded honours in recognition of activities outside their departmental duties.

Hospital Beds

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beds are provided for inpatient care in hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The average number of available beds provided for inpatient care in hospitals in Northern Ireland during 200102 was 8419.1.
	This figure is taken from Hospital Statistics 200102 and includes all Programmes of Care. The average number of available beds is defined as those beds in wards which are open overnight, measured at midnight. Hospitals may also have a number of beds in wards which are only open during the day. Beds reserved for day care admission or regular day admission are not included.

Hospital Births

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women from Great Britain gave birth at hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; and what the length of time was before delivery commenced that each patient presented at hospital.

Des Browne: During 200203, a total of 72 women from Great Britain gave birth at hospitals in Northern Ireland.
	Information on the length of time between each patient presented at hospital and delivery commenced is not available.

Information Technology

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's (a) total managed expenditure, (b) total spending on Information Technology and (c) spending on Information Technology as a proportion of its total managed expenditure was in each financial year since 199798.

Paul Murphy: Within the Northern Ireland Office including its agencies and NDPBs, resource figures are only available from 199899.
	The percentages provided in the table are approximate only. The table shows details of the Information Technology spend by Northern Ireland Office.
	
		
			  TME () Total Information Technology spend () Proportion of total (%) 
		
		
			 199899 940,534,000 4,406,471 0.50 
			 19992000 1,057,141,000 7,990,677 0.75 
			 200001 882,789,000 8,165,504 1 
			 200102 1,035,308,000 7,175,757 0.75 
			 200303 1,285,321,000 9,516,007 0.75 
		
	
	(35) Estimated outturn
	(36) Full-year estimate
	(37) The Figures for 200303 are based on estimates only. Provisional outturn figures are not yet available.
	The introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting within the Northern Ireland Administration means it is not possible to make meaningful comparisons between outturn information across the years requested. However, the following table shows Total Managed Expenditure (TME) for NI Departments, total spending by the core Departments on Information Technology (IT) and spending on Information Technology as a proportion of total departmental TME for 200001 and 200102.
	
		
			  TME for NI Departments ( million) Core Departmental Spend on IT(38) ( million) IT as a proportion of Total TME (%) 
		
		
			 200001 10,692.8 27.4 0.26 
			 200102 10,845.3 30.9 0.28 
		
	
	(38) This does not include spending on IT by Executive Agencies
	This information relates to the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Irish Language

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs have been incurred by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety as a result of its Irish language policy; and if he plans to discontinue this practice.

Des Browne: In the financial year 2002/03, the cost associated with Irish translations for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety amounted to 107,500. There are no plans to change the current arrangements and the existing practice with regard to the use of Irish will remain as it is for the time being.

Lagan Valley Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the location of a second specialist elective surgical centre in addition to Lagan Valley Hospital will be confirmed.

Des Browne: In my announcement of 24 February 2003 on Developing Better Services, in addition to a protected elective centre at Lagan Valley Hospital, I said that the new acute hospital to the north of Enniskillen will be designed to include a protected elective centre. I also announced that the current proposals for a protected elective facility at South Tyrone should also be taken forward.

Maternity Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the location of a new regional maternity unit in Belfast will be made public.

Des Browne: I hope to be in a position to announce my decision on the location of the new regional maternity unit in the coming weeks.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of his staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year.

Paul Murphy: In the Northern Ireland Office (including the Northern Ireland Prison Service) three officers retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in 200203 financial year.
	During the financial year 200203, 184 staff within the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland administration were retired on medical grounds. The details of the medical condition giving rise to these ill-health retirements are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. McKenna

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his Answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 594W, whether the policy described was followed in the case of Mr.McKenna and when the internal policy on harassment and bullying commenced operation with the Department of Education.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education has had a policy on harassment in place since December 1995. I can confirm that in investigating the complaint against the named individual the internal policy was fully adhered to and that the individual was afforded the opportunity to obtain in full a copy of the written complaint.

Multiple Sclerosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent date that a multiple sclerosis sufferer from Northern Ireland has commenced (a) beta interferon and (b) glatiramer treatment.

Des Browne: The last patient to commence treatment on the interferon/glatiramer acetate treatment programme started on 14 April 2003.

Muckamore Abbey and Stradreagh Hospitals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to modernise Muckamore Abbey and Stradreagh Hospitals.

Des Browne: A Business Case has been approved for the redevelopment of Muckamore Abbey Hospital as a purpose built 115 bedded regional core hospital. Funding of 5 million has been secured through the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative (RRI) to take forward the first phase of the project which will provide for the development of a 35 bedded regional admissions and assessment service and a 23 bedded regional forensic assessment and treatment service. Construction of Phase 1 is due to commence in September 2003 with a completion date of May 2005.
	A Business Case has also been approved for the replacement of the current Stradreagh Hospital with a 43-bed in patient treatment assessment unit, a 20-place challenging behaviour unit and a 5-place rehabilitation unit. RRI funding of 4 million has been secured for the project. Initial work has commenced making good progress and is on track for completion in November 2004.

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last date was that a scheduled neurosurgery operating list was performed at the Royal Victoria Hospital that did not comprise emergency cases.

Des Browne: Up to and including 2 June 2003, the most recent scheduled neurosurgery operating list performed at the Royal Victoria Hospital which did not comprise emergency cases, took place on 30 May 2003.

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used in classifying particular neurosurgery patients as emergency cases.

Des Browne: Neurosurgeons at the Royal Victoria Hospital use clinical judgement in determining whether a patient is classified as an emergency case. An assessment is made as to whether the patient's condition is immediately life threatening, or is such as to demand prompt action in order to preserve neurological function.

Omagh Bombing

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has made to the Government of the Irish Republic regarding the investigation into the Omagh bombing in August 1998.

Jane Kennedy: There has been frequent contact at ministerial level between the two Governments on a wide range of issues including the Omagh bomb investigation. The Government wants to see those responsible for the Omagh bomb brought to justice and PSNI continue to fully investigate this atrocity.

Police Service

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons PSNI personnel policing the Loyalist parade in Lurgan on 3 May 2003 were not wearing identification numbers; and what measures he has taken to ensure that PSNI personnel wearing protective gear over their uniform may still be identified by a clearly displayed identification number.

Jane Kennedy: Police officers are required to wear protective overalls (which display their identification number) to meet health and safety regulations. Overalls should be worn over their personal protective equipment. Personal protective equipment has recently been improved but as it is bulkier, some officers found it necessary to wear this over, rather than under, the protective overalls and as a result the identification numbers were obscured. However, PSNI is taking steps to resolve this matter to ensure that protective overalls are worn 'over' personal protective equipment.
	The PSNI is an open and transparent service and there is no attempt to hide the identity of officers. Identification numbers do appear on their helmets. Vehicles also display identifying unit numbers on the front, side and rear.

Part-time Workers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of the Part-time Workers Directive on staff in his Department.

Paul Murphy: Within the Northern Ireland Office, no formal assessment has been made of the impact of the Part-time Workers Directive on staff. But managers are committed to the concept of good work-life balance.
	A total of 186 staff currently job share or work part-time.
	Part-time working is only one of several ways in which the Northern Ireland Office offer staff flexibility in their working patterns.
	Prior to the introduction of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001, which were effective from the 21 October 2001, the 11 Departments within the Northern Ireland Administration had already introduced measures to ensure that part-time staff were treated no less favourably than their full time counterparts.
	On foot of the Directive, these measures were examined to ensure that they were fully compliant. Since the Directive, in itself, had no impact on the policies in place, an assessment would not be meaningful.
	The departments within the Northern Ireland Administration continually strive to be a Good Employer and are committed to the concept of good work-life balance for its staff in serving Ministers and the public to the highest standards.
	Part-time working and job sharing are only two of the options which NI Departments offer staff to provide flexibility in their working patterns.
	At the 1 January 2003, NI Departments had 1,124 staff who were either employed on a part-time or job sharing basis making up 11 per cent. of the overall staff workforce.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the budget is for PSNI training; and how much and what percentage is spent on (a) new recruit training, (b) refresher training for staff and (c) management training in 200304.

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI training budget for 200304 is 2.53 million. The estimated spend for (a) new recruit training is 253,600 (10 per cent.), (b) refresher training is 199,000 (7.9 per cent.) and (c) management training is 872,000 (34.5 per cent.)
	The above mentioned training budget is for the provision of external courses, guest speakers and training aids only.

Private Care Homes

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what safeguards there are to ensure the highest standards of care are practised in private care homes for the elderly.

Des Browne: Under the terms of the Registered Homes (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, homes in the private and voluntary sectors which seek to provide care for older people must register with the Registration and Inspection Unit of their local Health and Social Services Board. To be successful in registration, the person in charge of the home and manager, if different, must be fit persons, the premises used, staffing or equipment must be suited to the purpose and the home must be run in such a way that it provides the services or facilities that are reasonably required. Further, in the case of a nursing home, the person in charge must either be a medical practitioner or a qualified nurse and the staff skills-mix and deployment must ensure that appropriate staff are available on duty. Conditions may be applied to registration so as to safeguard the quality of the service to be provided and a home may only provide the service for which it is registered. A home must make application to the Registration and Inspection Unit if it wishes to vary the service that it provides. In addition, homes must maintain specified records and these along with the care they provide is subject to inspection by the Board's Registration and Inspection Unit.Under the Registered Homes Regulations (N.I.) 1993, there is a minimum requirement for homes to be inspected at least twice yearly and generally one of these inspections is unannounced. During the inspections the premises and care are measured against standards set by the Registration and Inspection Unit relating to the quality of care, management and the environment of the home together with the life experiences of the residents. Standards are drawn from the Department's Social Services Inspectorate guidance contained in documents such as Standards for Residential Homes for Elderly People, Inspecting for Quality and Homes are for Living In. There is a requirement under the Registered Homes Regulations for homes to make adequate arrangements to ensure that appropriate activity programmes are in place to meet the needs of residents.
	Any shortfalls which are identified during inspections are brought to the attention of home managers at the time of the inspection and also through official inspection reports together with recommendations on how the shortfalls might be addressed. Where necessary, additional visits are arranged to make sure that recommendations are addressed or that any complaint received has been addressed.

Private Care Homes

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what means are used to standardise services at private care homes for the elderly.

Des Browne: The Registration and Inspection Units of each Health and Social Services Board are responsible for evaluating and monitoring the quality of care provided and the quality of life experienced in statutory, private and voluntary sector residential settings. The Units are responsible for ensuring that a consistent approach is taken to the inspection of statutory, private and voluntary sector provision and they are required to carry out a minimum of two inspections each year, one announced and one generally unannounced, of each residential care home and nursing home in the Board area. The inspection reports, the comparative analysis of trends in care home provision and Annual Reports by the Registration and Inspection Units all contribute to establishing and monitoring of standards of care in residential settings.
	The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 will create a new independent HPSS Regulation and Improvement Authority which will operate on a regional basis and, among other things, take over the functions of the current Registration and Inspection Units. The Order also allows for the introduction of minimum care standards and the development of clinical and social care governance, the latter underpinned by a statutory duty of quality. The Order, combined with a strengthening of the regulation of the workforce should offer powerful safeguards for the quality and consistency of services to be provided.

Public Administration Review

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timescale is for completion of the consultation process for the Review of Public Administration in Northern Ireland; when the results will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I announced in my statement of 26 March 2003 that the Review of Public Administration would not be going out to consultation during the lead-up to elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. In the light both of the subsequent postponement of these elections and the continuing interest in and support for the Review, I am currently considering options for its future conduct and will make an announcement in the near future.

School Capital Expenditure Projects

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding has been allocated for capital expenditure projects to each school in voluntary grammar and grant maintained sectors within the past five years.

Jane Kennedy: The amount of public funding allocated to each school in the voluntary grammar and grant maintained integrated sectors for capital expenditure projects over the last five years is as follows:
	
		 million
		
			 Schools Public funding allocated 
		
		
			  1. Major capital projects(39) 
			 19992000  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			 Thornhill College, Londonderry  
			 (Phase 1) 10.6 
			 Royal School Dungannon 8.0 
			 St Patrick's G.S. Armagh 2.0 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Loughview Integrated P.S. 0.3 
			   
			 20001  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			   
			 Drumragh Integrated College 0.15 
			 Newbridge Integrated College 0.62 
			 Integrated College Dungannon 0.55 
			 North Coast Integrated College 0.61 
			 Slemish Integrated College 0.62 
			 Malone Integrated College 5.7 
			   
			 200203  
			 Voluntary grammar school  
			 Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock 11.0 
			 St Patrick's G.S. Downpatrick 8.5 
			 Thornhill College, Londonderry (Phase 2) 4.2 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Drumragh College Omagh 10.2 
			 Lagan College Belfast 11.0 
			   
			 200304  
			 Voluntary Grammar Schools  
			 Integrated  
			   
			 Drumragh Integrated College 0.14 
			 Newbridge Integrated College. 0.06 
			 Integrated College Dungannon 0.09 
			 North Coast Integrated College 0.18 
			 Slemish Integrated College 0.57 
			 Malone Integrated College 0.62 
			 Shimna Integrated College 0.03 
			 Oakwood Integrated P.S. 1.7 
			 Spires Integrated P.S 1.9 
			  2. Specialist accommodation programme(40),(41) and capital developmentcosts of grant maintained integrated schools(41) 
			   
			 19992000  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			 Convent G.S. Strabane 0.5 
			 Loreto College Coleraine 0.78 
			 St. Colman's College Newry 0.44 
			 St. Macnissis's College 0.1 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Drumragh Integrated College 0.5 
			 Newbridge Integrated College 0.3 
			 Integrated College Dungannon 0.85 
			 North Coast Integrated College 4.6 
			 Slemish Integrated College 5.44 
			   
			 200001  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			 Hunterhouse College 0.25 
			 Larne G.S. 0.95 
			 Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock 0.12 
			 Portora Royal School 0.77 
			 Sullivan Upper School 0.37 
			 Royal School Armagh 0.65 
			 St. Louis G.S Ballymena 0.12 
			 St. Malachy's College Belfast 0.18 
			 Wallace H.S. 0.39 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Dominican College, Belfast 13.1 
			 Convent G.S. Enniskillen 6.3 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Cranmore Integrated P.S 1.4 
			   
			 200102  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			 Rathmore G.S. Belfast 17.0 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Oakgrove Integrated College 12.5 
			   
			 200102  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			   
			 Ballymena Academy 0.97 
			 Bangor G.S. 1.0 
			 Belfast High School 0.33 
			 Belfast Royal Academy 0.56 
			 Coleraine Academical Institute 0.38 
			 Friends School Lisburn 0.74 
			 Larne G.S. 0.16 
			 St. Louis G.S. Ballymena 0.43 
			 St. Michael's G.S. Lurgan 0.2 
			 Wallace High School 0.32 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Newbridge Integrated College 0.03 
			 Drumragh Integrated College 0.04 
			 Integrated College Dungannon 0.07 
			 North Coast Integrated College 0.7 
			 Slemish Integrated College 0.34 
			 Malone Integrated College 0.65 
			   
			 200203  
			 Voluntary grammar school  
			 Hunterhouse College Belfast 0.65 
			 Dalriada School Ballymoney 0.88 
			 St. Michael's G.S. Enniskillen 0.65 
			 Friends School Lisburn 0.4 
			 Sullivan Upper School 0.3 
			 Grant maintained  
			 Assumption G.S., Ballynahinch 15.9 
			 Dominican College, Portstewart 0.8 
			 Mount Lourdes G.S., Enniskillen 9.7 
			 St. Colman's College Newry 1.2 
			 St. Dominic's H.S. Belfast 16.7 
			 Abbey G.S. Newry 12.2 
			 St. Joseph's Convent G.S., Donaghmore 11.6 
			 St Patrick's Academy Dungannon 17.5 
			 Strathearn G.S. Belfast 10.0 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Loughview Integrated P.S (Phase 2) 2.1 
			 Omagh Integrated P.S. 2.5 
			 Windmill Integrated P.S. 2.6 
			   
			 200304  
			 Voluntary grammar schools  
			 Coleraine Academical Institute 0.1 
			 Belfast Royal Academy 0.55 
			 Ballymena Academy 0.52 
			 Belfast High School 0.42 
			 Wallace High School 0.3 
			   
			 Grant maintained integrated  
			 Erne Integrated P.S. 0.2 
			 Cedar Integrated P.S. 0.3 
			 Drumragh Integrated College 0.1 
			 Newbridge Integrated College 0.8 
			 Integrated College Dungannon 0.2 
			 North Coast Integrated College 0.04 
			 Slemish Integrated College 0.2 
			 Malone Integrated College 0.1 
			 Strangford Integrated College 7.0 
			 Spires Integrated P.S. 0.1 
			 Ulida Integrated College 8.0 
			 Millennium Integrated P.S. 2.2 
			 Sperrin Integrated College 6.0 
		
	
	(39) Funding announced in March preceding the financial year and for 200203 also in July of that year.
	(40) Funding to improve facilities in schools for science, technology and design and ICT.
	(41) Funding allocated to the project may be spent over more than one financial year depending on the length of the contract.

Stevens Inquiry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what instructions were issued to RUC Special Branch concerning co-operation with and disclosure to the inquiry conducted by Sir John Stevens.

Paul Murphy: I understand that the then Chief Constable wrote to Sir John Stevens on 13 May 1999 confirming, inter alia, that he would have unlimited access to all intelligence and information available to the RUC and all files held by them.
	The Chief Constable copied the above-mentioned letter to the Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Special Branch. As a result, a senior officer was appointed within that Department to liaise with the Stevens Team.

Tourism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on tourism in each Northern Ireland constituency in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: Based on records held, the amount of selected financial assistance spent by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to develop accommodation, amenity and visitor attractions and events support in each constituency during the period 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2002 is detailed in the following table.
	In addition, 5,819,194 was spent by NITB on marketing projects during the period from 1 April 1997 to 31 March 2003. Also during the period 19972002, 2,695,164 was spent by DARD on the maintenance of facilities such as access to forests and camping/caravanning sites. Information on these projects is not available on a constituency basis.
	
		Financial assistance paid by NITB and DARD to all tourism projects by constituency
		
			 Constituency 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total 
		
		
			 Belfast East 0 1,000 38,300 2,200 2,000 10,500 54,000 
			 Belfast North 0 1,552 213,256 232,515 15,529 5,000 467,852 
			 Belfast South 2,791,802 968,417 555,579 1,338,651 1,941,769 16,686 7,612,904 
			 Belfast West 39,020 25,348 98,898 20,000 774,500 53,000 1,010,766 
			 East Antrim 562,951 74,001 50,612 76,163 1,014,280 132,330 1,910,337 
			 East Londonderry 366,130 221,741 110,575 823,144 473,009 394,880 2,389,479 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1,205,388 1,261,432 755,454 843,694 1,805,126 238,360 6,109,454 
			 Foyle 976,033 71,387 460,733 678,524 623,670 2,606,564 5,416,911 
			 Lagan Valley 4,614 1,036 5,600 73,716 23,837 27,788 136,591 
			 Mid Ulster 133,213 106,406 117,715 94,927 592,571 128,007 1,172,839 
			 Newry and Armagh 613,755 2,087,003 459,998 733,362 1,565,799 1,765,741 7,225,658 
			 North Antrim 981,459 260,468 543,459 1,357,211 1,223,975 119,013 4,485,585 
			 North Down 52,907 31,688 68,559 55,876 17,231 10,700 236,961 
			 South Antrim 1,400,455 1,927,237 1,290,105 90,074 127,412 98,842 4,934,125 
			 South Down 1,852,888 793,905 1,465,495 2,539,531 2,546,277 475,087 9,673,183 
			 Strangford 586,324 778,009 393,075 94,859 248,675 5,000 2,105,942 
			 Upper Bann 39,204 82,912 111,622 82,587 69,547 13,806 399,678 
			 West Tyrone 223,324 434,010 192,363 443,333 434,989 199,917 1,927,936 
			  11,829,467 9,127,552 6,931,398 9,580,367 13,500,196 6,301,221 57,270,201 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Spend in the Belfast constituencies by DARD reflect payments to organisations based in Belfast. Actual expenditure by those organisations would have related to tourism across Northern Ireland.
	2. Some events support paid by NITB between 199799 not included because data was not held on a constituency basis.
	3. A further amount of 204,109 was spent by NITB on projects which were not constituency specific.

Victoria Square (Redevelopment)

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what share of profits in the Victoria Square redevelopment will be paid to the Department of Social Development.

Des Browne: It would be premature for me to comment on the specific arrangements that the Department for Social Development might enter into with the developer associated with the site, Multi Development Corporation, in respect of its proposal for Victoria Square since the Department has yet to come to a decision on whether or not to proceed with the vesting of lands within the site. However, if vesting proceeds the Department will carefully consider the financial aspects of any development agreement including appropriate overage (ie super profits) provision to safeguard the public interest.

Websites

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the (a) cost of and (b) number of visitors to each website operated by his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible in each year since its establishment.

Paul Murphy: The main Northern Ireland Office website was launched in 1997 and developed in house. It was redesigned in June 2001. Monthly assessment reports for the Northern Ireland Office site are forwarded to the Office of the e-Envoy and are placed in the Library.
	The Northern Ireland Office also has responsibility for management of two internal websites: the Criminal Justice System for Northern Ireland site, which was launched in July 2002; and the Organised Crime Task Force site, which was launched in September 2002.
	The total cost of all three sites to date is as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 NIO website  
			 Redesign cost 23,402.00 
			 Operating cost for the last 12 months 4,939.97 
			   
			 CJNI website  
			 Cost to date 13,160.00 
			   
			 OCTF website  
			 Cost to date 4,960.00 
			   
			 Total costs to date 45,761.97 
		
	
	The figures provided do not include staffing costs.
	The Northern Ireland Office website has received the following number of page hits (the number of visits could be obtained only at disproportionate cost):
	
		Northern Ireland Office
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 398,832 
			 1998 2,655,045 
			 1999 2,728,304 
			 2000 3,506,310 
			 2001 4,959,502 
			 2002 8,379,957 
			 2003 (on 30 April) 5,587,572 
		
	
	BDS (an agency of DFP) provided hosting services for all Departments, except DEL, at a notional cost of 219,000 for 200102 and 172,000 for 200203, which have been included in the figure for costs. It is not possible to provide figures prior to 1 April 2001, as web information and costs were then an integral part of other telecommunications services. The figures provided do not include staffing costs.
	The Criminal Justice System Northern Ireland site has received the following visits:
	
		Criminal Justice System Northern Ireland
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 July 2002 78 
			 August 2002 784 
			 September 2002 1,241 
			 October 2002 1,405 
			 November 2002 1,265 
			 December 2002 1,047 
			 January 2003 1,490 
			 February 2003 1,324 
			 March 2003 1,345 
		
	
	The Organised Crime Task Force Site (OCTF) has received the following number of visits:
	
		Organised Crime Task Force
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 September 2002 543 
			 October 2002 1,711 
			 November 2002 2,866 
			 December 2002 2,206 
			 January 2003 3,194 
			 February 2003 3,270 
			 March 2003 3,862 
		
	
	The cost of the Northern Ireland Administration's websites and the number of hits to each website in each year from 1997 are set out in the tables:
	
		Cost of Websites -- 
		
			 Department 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 OFMDFM 0 0 0 0 0 2,661 
			 DARD 0 0 0 0 0 1,900 
			 DCAL 0 0 0 0 0 24,000 
			 DE 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 DEL 0 0 0 270,000 289,972 39,805 
			 DETI 0 0 0 12,200 0 50,400 
			 DFP 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 DHSSPS 0 7,100 0 0 0 0 
			 DOE 0 0 0 0 0 24,000 
			 DRD 0 0 0 0 10,000 24,000 
			 DSD 0 0 0 0 6,251 9,376 
			 Total 0 7,100 0 282,200 306,223 176,142 
			 BDS 219,000 172,000 
			 Total 0 7,100 0 282,200 525,223 348,142 
		
	
	
		Number of Hits
		
			 Department 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 OFMDFM395,640 586,500 674,324 
			 DARD 169,966 242,179 643,840 1,293,900 4,841,813 4,447,528 
			 DCAL   32,652 351,885 514,263 1,115,902 
			 DE 231,648 595,359 1,582,770 2,194,800 371,564 14,998,806 
			 DEL 2,571,227 5,929,386 
			 DETI   417,098 243,576 2,665,363 3,940,545 
			 DFP 11,214 62,230 142,798 257,345 361,998 532,582 
			 DHSSPS 64,742 443,225 2,085,913 1,726,407 5,529,678 9,332,949 
			 DOE 283,959 1,977,486 4,424,783 2,403,468 163,935 3,420,266 
			 DRD   0 58,176 240,237 5,599,072 
			 DSD   27 417,998 432,450 4,149,133 
			 Total 761,529 3,320,479 9,329,881 9,343,195 19,002,745 55,558,711 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Devolved Administration was established on 2 December 1999. At that date new Departments were created and there was a transfer of functions, which resulted in some Departments having their responsibilities adjusted. The Administration does not hold records in relation to hits on websites prior to 1997.